Remember (REWRITTEN)
by ProteusGrayson
Summary: Rose survives the wish. She lives with her recently family in New York. Jake leaves his families house as he needs time to heal. They meet by accident in the middle of the street. Can they get past the new and old obstacles that have been placed into their lives (in the form of Rose's memories and Jake's broken family) and make something worth cherishing? Or will it all fall apart?
1. Chapter 1

**Yeah, so here's the rewrite that I promised. Hope it lives up to your expectations.**

Remember:

Jake:-

I tried so hard to forget. Tried SO hard not to think about it. But forgetting the love of your life is like losing a limb. You are forever reminded of it.

Gliding across the city in the dead of night, leaving the Pantheon Building far behind me, my family and friends eyes on me as I left. Fuu and Gramps upset, Mrs Park and Haley scared and Trixie and Spud understanding. A montage of emotions that touched me but didn't fill the hollowness within me.

Rose was gone. But had I saved her?

That was the deep dark question. Had my wish reached her in time?

'I wish Rose was never taken by the Huntsclan!'

A selfish part of me screamed, 'Jake! Why didn't you wish for something that would have meant you and Rose could be together?'

Whilst the part of my mind that hardly ever was put into words said, 'That wish was perfect, if she survived she'll be happy with her family. It's all worth it.'

That voice spoke the logical and truthful answer. The answer that the selfish part of me knew was right but still didn't want to hear. So before an argument could issue within me I silenced my thoughts and tried to find some peace and solace in the cooling winds that slinked along my long reptilian body.

What if I wasn't a dragon? What if she wasn't my arch nemesis? Huntsgirl, my personal assasin. What if we'd have been born differently? Born into lives that hadn't pitted both of us against one another day after day. Would our relationship worked out?

I sighed as the answer came to me as clearly as the celestially calming moonlight.

No...

Huntsgirl:-

The dragon filth made no attempt to hide its flight. It didn't even try to look for me or any threats. If I was to attack it now then it would fall, simple, no fuss, no challenge. It would be over and I would be victorious. After all these years.

But who would I go to to boast my victory. The Huntsclan was gone. Destroyed by some freaky accident. Leaving me alone. No one left to command me or report to. A mass genocide of brilliant people, gone into the abyss of death.

So killing the dragon would bring me no pleasure. At least. Not yet.

I owed it to my former superiors to figure out what had happened to them. To continue the vital work they had began long before my birth. The annihilation of magical creatures. It was my job, my duty and my vendetta. I would see it completed.

So as I stood on a rooftop watching the flying red lizard dissapear into the distance I sneered under my mask,

"Soon, dragon. Very soon." I said aloud as the wind battered my body and assaulting my hair, tied back in a perfect plait down my back, "You WILL be mine!"

Haley:-

He didn't come home that night.

We all came back to my home, Spud, Trixie, Grampa, Fuu and Mrs Park. We sat down at the dining room table with mom and explained everything. First about the life threatening Aztec skulls and the constant dangerous missions Jake, Rose, Trixie and Spud had taken part in to keep them from the devilish Huntsman. Then we talked about Rose.

Oh gosh he had really loved her.

My inner romantic seemed to pique as I heard from Trixie and Spud that they had been secretly dating for almost a year and had been in a form of semi relationship before then. They said their relationship had shifted after this Grand Equinox Hunt. Where he revealed himself to her.

I thought at first, What an idiot! He put us all in danger for a girl! Then I heard he'd known Rose's identity months before that time and had scoped out her character. He knew she was good and played on that to free himself from the Huntsclan's clutches.

Then this dream dating thing popped up and Jake's sudden tendency to go to sleep earlier than he used to suddenly made sense. It was unbeleivably cute that my 14 year old brother had been going on date with the girl of his dreams, IN his dreams.

Then how the pair decided to keep their relationship strictly proffesional and their beautiful relationship had abruptly ended their and then. I almost died hearing how my brother had been forced through heartbreak and pain because of being a dragon. I couldn't imagine what was running through him,

"Where will he be?" I asked,

"To be honest, Jake's never gone off like this before." Spud said,

"There's no telling where he'll be." Trixie admitted,

"You've GOT to know of SOMEWHERE? You're his best friends!" I screamed, I NEEDED to know Jake was ok.

"Haley, calm down. It'll be okay." Mom said, trying to soothe me,

"No! It probably won't mom! Jake's out in the city. Cold and alone. Probably about ready to give up on everything!" I shrieked at my mom, not caring. I just want Jake back.

"Peace young one. We WILL find him." Grampa said,

"Not if he doesn't want to be found." Mrs Park sighed, speaking for the first time in the whole meeting, "Jake is a very resourceful and intelligent boy. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be."

"That's where your wrong." Fuu chirped, "The kids deeply loyal and committed to his duties as the American Dragon deep down. He'll still operate as the dragon and we'll find him that way."

"And that's where you are wrong." Mrs Park concurred, "I believe that Jake may have finally reached his limit. Maybe, as Haley suggested, he may just give up on his duties and decide that his life is better without his dragon Chi."

"The Jake we know wouldn't do that." Trixie said confidently,

"Yes, you're right." Mrs Park began, "But the Jake you know has just lost the love of his life. That tends to change people."

"So what are you saying? You're not going to bother looking for my son?!" Mom screamed, speaking the words we feared,

"Of course they're not!" I growled, "They're just making excuses for when they don't find him."

"Young one, we-" Grampa began but I simply held up my hand,

"No. I don't want to hear it." I said and I walked out of the room. Ignoring their cries to return.

I went to my room and threw on a thick wooley jacket and threw open my window.

Jake Long, my brother, was out their. And I'd be damned if I returned without him...

Susan:-

Neither of my children returned that night. Or the next night. Or the night after that.

But, on the 4th night, Haley returned. Bedraggled, tired and alone. Clutching something to her chest.

I spent the entire night, from dusk till dawn nursing my beautiful daughter. She was silent as she accepted food, water and her room. Never once parting with the red fabric in her arms. It unnerved me. No matter what I did she never parted company with it for long. The fact that Haley held onto it like it was her lifeline and sobbed into it in the dead of night upset me. Where was my precious boy? And why had only his jacket returned?

It was hard coming up with a story to sate the curiousity of John. My loyal husband and the father of my children. I couldn't tell him that Jake was a dragon and had fallen madly in love with a dragon hunter who had recently sacrificed her life to save his. Could I? No I couldn't but I should have.

The story, that without warning, Jake AND Haley had ran away from home. With only Haley returning. The simple story that they had ran away was wearing him thin. I couldn't keep this up forever. He had to know eventually.

Haley awoke that next morning with the intention of going to school and disregarding those missing days and, although I didn't want to see my daughter leave in the state she was in, I was ready to allow it. But John intervened.

"Now where are you going little missy." He said, hands on his hips as he blocked the seven year olds path,

"To school." Haley spoke through a yawn,

"Sit down! Both of you!" Pointing to me as he spoke and gesturing with his thumb to the couch. Haley responded by walking over and collapsing on it. Whilst I went and cautiously took a seat. As John did the same on an armchair.

"No one is leaving this room until the pair of you tell me EXACTLY what's going on. Where is Jake?!" He asked, quivering in rage.

Haley groaned on the sofa where she lay on her face. I sighed I was on my own,

"Honey. It's time to tell you the truth." I sighed and told him everything I had hidden from him in the past 20 years. With some shocking results.

John:-

The sand of the beach welcomed my weight as I sat. A letter in my hands I didn't have the heart to send but knew I had to.

At first, finding out that my son and daughter were magical fire breathing dragons was a shock and an elation. I had lived through my final years of high school and my years of marriage believing I was either insane or incrdibly sleepy and clumsy. The latter terrified me!

'What if I'm in the car and I have an episode? What if my family's with me?' I used to said to myself. I would lay in bed at night scared out of my mind for the safety of my family. Then, when sleep got me, I had vivid images of them cold and dead. Jake with a broken skateboard, Haley in an ocean of bloodstained paper and Susan. My dear Susan, never to smile again. With only myself responsible.

I had beleived that I had had an 'episode' and had caused Jake and Haley to leave. But Susan wouldn't tell me and kept giving me strange looks. Which I now deciphered as guilt. She at least felt guilty about not confiding in me. That made me feel slightly better.

Slightly.

I had left when she had told me the truth. Packed my things and drove away, not knowing where I was going. Just far from home and, two days later, I am at a secluded beach watching the sun set over the ocean. A letter in my hand that was ready to go but remained unsent.

I was in the car. Driving up the empty highway, looking for it. I knew there would be one. I just needed to find it. Then I saw it. Bathed in the red light of the setting sun. A mail box.

I opened the draw on the blue object and held out my hand. Hesitating. The letter could cause so much pain and anguish but I couldn't hold onto it. For then I'd be JUST like Susan. So I watched as it fluttered into the semi darkness of the box and I closed the draw. Praying that what I had done had been the right thing...

Jake:-

Midnight. I left the note on the counter.

I'd been gone for a week. The summer vacation had begun and the family had gone to Hong Kong. Funny. I always thought they'd care if I dissapeared, but instead they're celebrating. Funny.

I'd sat on a rooftop across the street, watching Mom and Haley pack suitcases in the back of the car, I'd tracked them to the airport where they met up with Grampa and Miss Park and had smiled, laughed and seemed happy. Funny.

Now I was at home. I needed clothes, food and a hot shower. I'd onbtained them and been ready to go within the space of two hours. Then with bags packed, I had taken a post-it note and wrote a simple message and stuck it down on the counter, leaving it held their by a half empty glass of water.

Heaving my suitcase and straightening my back pack I left the house. The simple words, **'I'm never coming back' **the only indication that I had been there in the first place.

Where would I go? I don't know. But one things for certain, that note wasn't a lie.

I'm never coming back...


	2. Chapter 2

Remember:

Part 2:

Trixie:-

How he avoided us for this long we did not know, but with one week left of summer vacation left me and Spud saw Jake waltz into an apartment building surprisingly close to Gramps shop.

"We sure it's him?" Spud asked from beside me.

"Who else do we know who uses THAT much hair gel." I asked and Spud put up a finger and opened his mouth to answer but no words came out under my scrutinising gaze. "Exactly."

"Maybe Jake doesn't want to be found?" Spud said,

"Well, tough break." I said and we ran across the road and followed him in.

It was a quick thing but we ran into the elevator just before the door closed, leaving Jake pinned against the wall in shock as his two (apparently) best friends pinned him there,

"Hey Jake! Found you!" Spud said cheerfully,

"What the hay Jake?!" I shrieked wringing my hands, "You've been gone over a month! Where have you been?!"

Of all the things I expected, I never expected him to slide down the wall and sit with his head in his hands and to weakly say,

"Go away."

"What?" I asked, my heart melted when I heard him sob into his hands, "Hey, hey! Jakey. Shhh! Don't cry."

"Leave me alone." He moaned,

"Not happening, you're our best friend." Spud said and I knelt before him.

"What's wrong."

"I want to be left alone. I need time to think."

"About what?!" Spud asked, EVER so tactfully. I put an arm on his shoulder and he removed his hands and looked into my eyes as he spoke,

"She's alive."

Jake:-

**(One Week Earlier)**

Grocery shopping was the boring but essential part of living on your own. As much as starving to death sounded exciting

It was nearly time for school to begin but I wasn't worried, mom had secured me a place at least a week before Homecoming and I had attended the 'graduation'. So everything was in order.

I used a trust fund the Gramps had set up for me and bought a nice apartment downtown relatively near to my new school of Richmond High and spent my time exercising. In the space of a month I had gained two or three feet in height and at least some muscle.

I will never forget seeing her.

I was grabbing some instant coffee granules when she turned up. It was a drink I had recently indulged in as before I had never had time for it in the past. But that's besides the point.

She was walking beside a taller woman with shoulder length blonde who was pushing a trolley. I assumed she was her mother. Rose's mother.

Rose was in a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She had a rather sour and un-Rose-like look on her face.

She was in a heated discussion and I couldn't help pulling up the hood on my jacket and whispering 'ear of the Dragon' to eavesdrop.

"I hardly know her! Why did we have to move here anyway?!" Rose whined, yet again, very un-Rose-like.

"Maybe because your father and I wanted to live together and he couldn't come to us. Idaho's to far for him." The older woman said calmly.

I smirked, Idaho. How ironic.

"New York's far for us too and me and Lily don't get along!" Rose said, using her renowned 'Rose Logic',

"True, but you will. She is your sister and I'm sure the pair of you will grow to love each other dearly." The woman said kindly and I stopped listening there.

I smiled, Rose had a family and a home. I was thrilled that my wish had come true that I barely held in my whoops of joy. She was alive and well and THAT's what mattered.

(*******************************)

I was lugging the bags back to the apartment when someone stormed past me and I lost grip on one of the bags,

"Dammit!" I roared and placed down the others carefully, shoving things back into the carrier bags, my hands soon joined by a pair of slender feminine hands,

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" A voice came,

Rose.

"Nah, it's all cool." I said, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm REALLY sorry." She said,

"What's happened here?" A voice asked,

I looked up at this point, avoiding the girl with the apologetic yet confused gaze, I prayed that the confusion was to why I avoided eye contact,

"Nothing, just a bit of an accident." I said and smiled politely before returning to my task and returning the groceries to the bags blindingly fast.

I got to my feet and saw Rose holding out a can with an embarrassed but incredibly innocent and adorable smile on her face,

"Thanks." I said, smiling, captivated by her blue eyes,

"No problem. Sorry for bumping into you." She said, still rather timid as she put the can in the least occupied bag,

"It happens." I said, before beginning to leave, "Well, see you around."

"Wait, I mean, erm. Do I know you from somewhere." She asked, and I froze in my tracks, she can't possibly remember, "You look frightfully familiar."

"Sorry." I said, trying to keep my breathing even and my heart rate minimal before spinning around with my crafty grin on my face, "Must be mixing me up with some other incredibly suave guy you've met on the street."

"Pfft, p-lease. With that hair!" Rose concurred, both of us forgetting her mother was standing right there,

"Style of my own. No one in the hole of the NYC has this look."

"Hmm, wonder why?" She said smirking, a finger hooked under chin with her eyes raised to the sky in mock thought,

"Because no one else can pull of black and green hair. Only Moi." I said and with a second goodbye I departed, grinning the entire way and nearly wetting myself with laughter when I heard Rose's mortified scream of 'MOM!'.

Rose:-

I know I shouldn't have been arguing with Mom. Especially in a super market. But I was tired of not getting a word in edge ways around here, for the past year it's been back and forth between mom and dads. Being forced to spend time with Lily, my twin sister.

I didn't like her. I had a tendency to hold a grudge against people and, considering that on our first play date she punched me in the face and broke my glasses, well, I think have the right.

Me and mom had moved from a small town in Idaho because my mom was remarrying my biological dad. They had broken up at birth and dad had taken my sister Lily with him. Dad was fine, he was funny, generous and honestly everything I needed from a dad. Just minus Lily from the equation then it was happy families.

Lily was my reckless, lip pierced, ear pierced, drug taking (of course there was no proof), potty mouthed, ill mannered, black haired green eyed, goth, identical twin sister who despised me almost as much as I despised her. It didn't matter how much our parents pushed, the country girl and the city girl will NOT get along.

I told my mom as much as I stormed out of the grocery store but because I wasn't watching where I was going I barged right past a guy a knocked his bags to the ground, spilling the contents across the sidewalk.

"Dammit!" He cried and immediately scrambled to get them. I felt extremely guilty at what I had done and bent down to help. Apologising as I went.

He kept his head down so his green tipped black hair was the only organic thing I could see on the boy wearing the dark blue jeans and matching colour hooded jacket.

When we got up (under the scrutiny of my mother) I handed him the last can and got a good look at him.

He was roughly my size (maybe taller) with a definite strong and proud Chinese heritage, he had a strong jaw and (though his clothes weren't **too **revealing) a strong body. His eyes though, soft chocolate brown and oh so alluring were incredibly familiar.

Then oh so soon he was walking away. He couldn't leave!

"Wait, I mean, erm. Do I know you from somewhere." I asked, fumbling for words and making him freeze in his tracks, as I tried desperately to match his face with someone I knew. I knew him but from where? "You look frightfully familiar."

Then we were flirting.

He'd replied to my question with a shocking but incredibly cute comment about how suave he was and we began to flirt. Smirking at one another and completely forgetting that my mother was standing right there watching the entire thing,

"Well, see you around Mr Suave." I smirked, as he said goodbye a second time,

"Hmm, most probably. See you around." And with a wave he was walking away, I still didn't know who he was. But oh well.

"Hey, if you move now you may still get a number or address." My mom whispered in my ear, making me blush and jump a mile. Not believing she had actually said that I yelled,

"MOM!"

(AT HOME)

"Hey hun! What took so long." Dad called when we entered the apartments kitchen and found Dad washing dishes with the basketball on the tiny TV blaring out,

"Well, Rosemarie got a boyfriend along the way!"

"Mom!" I moaned,

"Aww! Little herb got a BF on her first time out?! This I've got to hear." Lily said coldly, her voice sending shivers down my spine as she leant against the door frame.

"Haven't got time for this." I grumbled and the atmosphere changed between my parents. They gave each other a look which I didn't quite understand. So instead of getting into a discussion I left,

"Where are you going honey?" Mom asked,

"My lenses hurt, I'm taking them out." I lied master fully,

"Sorry for teasing you dear." Dad called after me, I growled and waited for Lily's comment,

"Didn't know you were that much of a prude Rose." Lily laughed, not disappointing me,

"F-off Lily. Get off my case." I yelled.

"Oh sorry Little Miss Princess, didn't realise that you banned me the right of free speech." Lily concurred,

"If it was up to me you wouldn't be able to speak, period." I growled,

"Girls. Stop." Dad sighed, I knew he was tired of the arguing but it was hard with all the hate from her,

"Rose, you should know better." Mom sighed,

"Yeah Rose." Lily scolded,

"I'm sorry mom. I guess it's kind of hard to remember your manners when you've got a girl whose got the manners and etiquette of a chimpanzee." I said with a shrug and saw Lily's withering glance before she strutted out of the kitchen one way with me going the other.

I entered my room and threw myself back on my new bed, my suitcases still in the corner. I was still hoping that we would go back to Idaho.

A knock came at my door and it opened, Lily's head popping in,

"Can I come in." She asked timidly,

"You're already halfway in so you may as well." I sneered,

She came in and closed the door behind her, planting herself at the foot of my bed,

"Look, Rose. I don't hate you." She said after an awkward silence, making me laugh,

"You have a funny way of portraying that." I sneered, it seemed to be my thing recently,

"Look. When I was growing up dad would constantly compare me to his OTHER daughter. The grade-A no fuss student. The girl who he constantly wanted me to be. But I couldn't. I couldn't be you." She said, looking to the floor. I sat up at that point,

"Dad would be on business trips a lot and when he WAS here he always had SOMETHING to complain about. It was rather depressing."

"But you always give him something to moan about." I cut in.

"Because if I didn't he completely ignores me!" Lily whined,

I rolled my eyes, I wasn't in the mood for a oh look at me, I'm so mistreated.

"Whatever." I sighed and lay back on my bed, "If this is the conversation we're gonna have then get out."

"I'm sorry."

I shot back into a sitting position.

"Huh?!" Unable to form a normal response,

"I'm sorry. You're my sister and we should be there for each other. Yes, we've been apart for almost 15 years but you're still my twin sis." Lily said, smiling, her lip piercing quivering slightly as she did so.

"Aww. Little Pond Lily. That was so sweet." I teased lightly,

"Cork it. You four eyed herb!" She replied and we laughed.

Then, after 14 years, I truly met my twin sister Lily Smith.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Just a quick one. This will eventually link back in with the original story. But I need to get these little plot bunnies in there.**_

_**Enjoy. If you're actually reading!**_

Part 3:

Jake:-

"Welcome to my humble abode" I said grimly, wafting my hand through the air at my apartment to Trixie and Spud.

Everything was immaculate. I'd been diagnosed with OCD at the age of 7 and found that being in an apartment all alone with nothing to do left me with extreme time on my hands. So it left me with one thing,

Cleaning.

Yeah. Sad.

"So, you've got your own place." Spud said awkwardly, "Nice."

"Yeah." I said, and plopped down on the plush red couch and flicked on the TV, "Make yourself at home."

Trixie and Spud made themselves comfortable on the other red couch facing away from the front door and directly facing the floor to ceiling windows which stretched from the corner to the next wall with a single door set two doors set into it. I watched them carefully and awaited their questions,

"Are you gonna come back." Trixie asked,

"Nope." I sighed,

"Why not?" Spud asked, I avoided the question,

"Why aren't you coming back Jake?"

I sighed and looked out of the window, the sound of the world outside becoming the only sound I could hear.

"Guys. I need to tell you something." I admitted...

Haley:-

Opening the door and seeing Spud, Trixie and Miss Park standing there only meant one thing.

"You've found him?" I asked hopefully,

"Where's your mother Haley." Miss Park asked calmly, a folder full of paper under her arm.

I pointed to the lounge where mom sat with her head in her hands on the couch. Miss Park making a bee line for her,

"So where is he?" I asked Trixie and Spud,

"Can't say." They both said, avoiding eye contact,

"W-what?" I asked, confused. Why wouldn't they tell me?

"Sorry Haley. We really are." Spud said, not looking at me but sounding sincere,

"Tell me where my brother is!" I commanded, stamping my foot in frustration,

"Your mother will know Hale's" Trixie said, using one of Jake's more irritating nicknames.

"But-"

"Let's go." Miss Park said and the three of them exited the house, leaving me alone with mom. Still no dad. Still no Jake.

Jasmine:-

"We never should have gotten divorced." Greg sighed as we stood in the kitchen, the aftermath of our daughters argument was all to present,

"I hope you don't mean that in a selfish way Greg." I teased half heartedly.

My beautiful daughters. Hated each other.

As clear as my nose was on my face was their hatred for one another. And we were fooling oursleves to think they'd get any better.

They should have been raised together, but our petty arguments didn't allow it. Driving a wedge between the girls.

Sighing. I left the room and as I walked down the hall I heard giggling. I followed the sound and found a door slightly ajar. Carefully putting my ear to the door I heard it again. Giggling. The type when two girls were having fun.

Could it be.

"Seriously. Don't tell me he was big and blonde!" Lily said through her laughter,

"I'm not into trolls. Which kind of cuts down my options in this city." Rose replied in the exact same fashion.

The two girls laughed and I smiled, pulling my head away from the door. Glad to think,

'Maybe I was wrong...'

Susan:-

It was probably (as a parent) the worst thing to do. Giving my son up too another woman.

The adoption papers were given to me straight from the woman who intended to take my son away from me.

I knew deep down it would happen eventually. That she would return and demand I hand Jake over. But it was a nail in the coffin for me now. I'd raised him and watched him walk himself out of my life through grief and take his father with him.

I rued the day I ever met Sun Park.

John:

My family needed me. That's why I returned.

On the doorstep of my home, I entered and was immediately in a fierce hug from Haley,

"Daddy! You're home!"

"Course I am sweetie pie!" I choked, smiling at my daughter who clung to me like one would cling to a life ring and me to her.

"John?" A weak voice asked,

"Susan." I replied, looking to her and lifting Haley from the ground. Opening one arm and engulfing both of them in my arms.

We were together. My family.

Well... Not all of us...

Huntsgirl:-

"88! 89! Get up!" I said to the snoring heaps lying under a patchwork quilt of assorted pizza boxes.

"Huntsgirl?" 88 shrieked, and they both leaped to their feet. Their eyes narrowing behind their maroon masks as the pair of them stood tall in proud, in their striped underpants.

"What are you doing here?!" 89 sniffled, his abnormally long nose red and filled with snot,

"I'm getting the only two Huntsclan members alive to help me find out what happened to everyone else."

"You'd know what happened! We were betrayed!" 88 yelled, "Came out nowhere and took us all out!"

"Then how did you survive." I asked, cocking my head to the side,

"Erm, how did you?" 88 said embarrassedly,

"You renounced us. Didn't you?" I asked coldly, only those two would,

"Nooooo..." The already pale boy that was 89 getting paler under my scrutiny, "Come on! It was this or death."

"I'd have honestly chosen death." I snorted, "Now get up and get dressed. We have work to do..."


	4. Chapter 4

**For the sake of the plot, I've made Kyle Wilkins a year older than the main characters. Sorry if that offends the tiny minority of readers**

Part 4:

Lily:-

Why sports team practices were BEFORE term began was beyond me. But if I was going to get on a team I had to go.

"Come on Rose! It'll be fun!" I pleaded to my sister, who sat engrossed in a book,

"Not interested." She replied,

"Come on!" I knew I was surprising Mom and Dad with my persistence that my sister had to be their but still, "Moral support."

With a heavy sigh, Rose closed her book and straightened her glasses.

"Let me get my contacts." She said, rolling her eyes but smiling ruefully.

My relationship with my sister had improved tremendously over the past week. We had gone out, I'd shown her around the city and we would stay up into the early hours of the morning, getting to know the other.

"Let's go." Rose called and with a few quick hugs from out parents we charged out of the apartment,

"Jacob Lucas! Stop right there!" A familiar feminine voice,

"We're late!"Came another familiar masculine one.

I looked up the hall and saw none other than Mrs Park, at the door of an apartment with her back to us.

"Whose that?" Rose asked, after I'd stopped,

"She was a teacher at Fillmore." I said simply, trying to see over her shoulder to who she was talking too,

"Come on! I've gotta be there on time!" The boy's voice came again,

"One hug? It won't hurt."

Mrs Park apparantly won, so with a small hug, a boy in a black t-shirt and shorts shot out from the apartment and ran down the stairs. Not giving us a glimse at who he was.

"Odd things happen around here." Rose said and we left,

"Yeah. Odd." I replied.

Jake:-

When your life is completely turned on it's head. Well. You can keep going.

After I'd lost Rose. I found that she'd been saved, walking around the streets of Manhattan with her mother. That may have made me sad to see her and know she had NO clue who I was. But hey! She's happy.

Then I find myself in the middle of a custody case.

Turns out that, Jonathon Long MAY be my father, but Susan sure as hell ISN'T my mother.

Then I found that my biological mother had won the court case and I was brought into the local social services to meet her.

Guess who?!

Sun:-

He was so embarrassed.

But he was more than that. Jake's emotions seemed to be deeper than simple embarrasment as I watched him head off to school with 5 minutes to spare. Determined to join a sporting team.

Who knew he was that good at soccor.

When I had found him, we changed apartments to a larger one in the same building where we could fit three people. I then moved in with the boy and was a witness to his living habits.

As a legal guardian, I had to stay with him. But honestly, he lives weirdly.

As a teacher (and a mother) I know that teenagers explore and experiment with their bodies. And I know (as a dragon) that peculiar things happen through puberty. But I'm certain that you don't wake up to a boy with piercing reptilian eyes, talons and an indestructible (so far) hide of red scales and a pair of red leathery wings from the shoulder blades.

Yeah. They dissapear when he thinks about it, but still. Creepy.

I had a feeling it was from his fathers side, as his mothers was strictly dragon and had never encountered such a problem but there was nothing to suggest anything odd, like daemon mating or anything of the sort.

I guess my son's just special.

Rose:-

Sitting on the bleachers, trying to read, is made hard when he was there. A pleasant distraction.

The boy she had knocked down when they had gone for groceries. Stretching, doing drills and running up and down the soccor pitch.

He hadn't immediately striked me as the sporty type when I'd bumped into him. He screamed 'the Arts' like a preaching priest. But, well, you can't be right ALL of the time!

His black t-shirt was sticking to his torso with sweat as he ran up and down the field. I watched over the top of my latest action novel. Raising an eyebrow as he ran a hand through his still perfectly spiked hair, gasped as he got into goals and made some extremely spectacular saves, not a single goal getting in, and blushing bright red and feeling my heart thud faster in my chest as he slipped out of his t-shirt and allowed more than a glimse at the muscled torso that the sweat drenched shirt had merely highlighted.

I wasn't the only person to pretend not to be watching. The cheer squad were the most obvious. Watching the soccor AND football team players they possibly could be cheering for (personally, the soccor try outs had far better eye candy.)

Lily was trying out for track on the huge field that they had somehow snuck behind the rather large high school that was Richmond High. She was incredibly fast as she tried out for the 100 and 200 meters.

"Rose!" She called and beckoned me down frantically. Rolling my eyes, I saved my page and joined my sister. "This is Harley Davids. Harley, this is my sister Rose."

"Pleasure." The red headed girl with a genuine smile and a slight tan said, with a hand outsretched. Shaking it I smiled at her. "Have I seen you somewhere?" She asked,

"Erm, probably not." I said, confused

"Yeah! I have! You did an induction year at Fillmore!" She said and face palmed herself,

Something stirred in my head. Like Harley's words had shaken some memories loose. Images flashed behind my eyes and for a brief second it felt like my head was going to explode,

"Oh yeah! You were at Fillmore?" I asked, unbeleivably, I had forgotten.

"Induction year as well. I'm from Dakota. I moved when my mom got a promotion." Harley said, "Do you do any athletics?"

"Erm, I used to." Surprised over the sudden conversational shift, "But I'm more of a nerdy gymnast."

She and Lily laughed at that,

"Why not be a cheerleader then?" Lily asked,

"I'd rather not dress like **that **every day of the year!" I exclaimed, gesturing to the cheerleaders, who seemed to be utilising their break to stare at the shirtless soccor display,

"Hey! I know that hair!" Harley exclaimed, following my thumb and their eyes, "Is that Jake?!"

"Holy shit! Yes it is!" Lily exclaimed, her hand shooting to her temple and a slight look of discomfort dancing across her features, "Him! And soccor?!"

"Whose Jake?"

"Probably the cutest guy in Fillmore!" Harley sighed, "He's looks better than ever!"

"He's finally caught up in the height department!" Lily smirked, fingering her ear ring-less ear. "Give you a race Rosie!"

"Yeah right. Like that's happening!" I smirked at my black haired duplicate,

"Ahhh! Is herb afraid to lose?!" She mocked,

"Stop calling me 'herb'!" I moaned

"I'll stop if you beat me." She replied simply,

"Fine."

Going onto the track, we settled into respective starting positions. Several of the other girls turned to watch. It was the nerd versus the goth. Who wouldn't?

"3!" Harley began the countdown, "2! 1! BANG!"

Then we were off.

Sprinting as fast as I could, I disregarded everything, ignoring the cheers from boys and girls already down their. Ignoring Lily in the next lane. Only watching the quickly advancing finish line and only listening to my rapid heartbeat.

So when I realised I finished when Lily was still only halfway down the track. Well. Let's say I was a bit surprised.

"Guess I win pond!" I gasped when she turned up, flushed, embarrased and out of breath,

"Shut... Up herb." She gasped,

"Smith isn't it?" A strong and firm voice came from behind me, I turned to see a tall, stocky woman with a beafy neck, military style haircut and a stop watch in her meaty hands,

"Erm yes?" I said nervously, maybe I wasn't supposed to be on the track.

"Do you realise you beat the state record for the 100 meters by 5 seconds?" She said,

Gasps and muttering filled the air. 5 seconds?! Even I couldn't comprehend that! 5 seconds was a lot in a sport like this.

"Go run again." She ordered.

Completing the track again without the race I looked up to the woman again and saw a small smile on her lips,

"Not as good, but still. 3 seconds over. You have talent." She said and I smiled, grateful for the complement, "Welcome to the track team."

"But, Miss. I didn't sign up for-"

"I'm not giving you a choice." She said to me and I buttoned it as she went off to inspect the others,

"That! Was Coach Ridge." Lily said, staring at her sister in disbeleif, "How did you go so fast?!"

"Dunno." I said honestly. "I have no idea."

Jake:

The one goal I conceded in that entire try out was due to a sudden blitz of a wild headache. Followed by a montage of images and memories that were NOT mine. Memories of a supposed 'indcution year', of showing a girl with fiery red hair around school so many things. And in that split second the ball shot past my shoulder,

"Jake! You okay over there?!" Kyle Wilkins asked,

"I'm good, just got a bit of a headache there." I said, before rolling the ball to a guy called Justin.

"Okay guys. That's practice over." Kyle called, his eyes on me with, concern? "You'll know who's on the team on the notice board on the first day."

With those final words from the captain the boys dispersed. Slinging my t-shirt over my shoulder and removing my sweaty hands from the gloves I doused myself in water and began to walk away.

"Jake!" Kyle called after me,

"Yeah." I said, turning,

"Just wanna say you were absoloutely extraordinary out there." He said, flicking his neck length raven hair out of his eyes,

"Is this a nice way of saying I didn't make the team?" I joked, a hand on my bare chest in mock shock and he smirked,

"No. It's a sly way of saying you did." He smirked, and with a slap on my back he walked over to his friends.

I shocked and excited. But, it didn't make me forget what had happened in the box. Walking over to the bleachers I saw Trixie and Spud.

"Did you get, a weird headache a sec ago?" Trix asked immediately, we were all best of friends again,

"Yeah. And a shed load of fake memories." I said,

"Do you think it's to do with the wish?" Spud asked, his hidden inteligence shining through,

"Maybe. Maybe she remembers."

"Nah! FAKE memories. She don't remember bro." Trixie said,

"It'll probably be that she has encountered a scenario that contradicts whatever life she leads now, compared to the one she used too and the two have corresponded in a way that means the space time continuem has compensated with fake memories to satisfy both of the equations and to merge them into one." Spud said quickly,

"What?!" Me and Trixie asked dumbly. Not catching a word of what he had said,

"Here." Spud said, thrusting a book into my hands,

"Whose is this?" I asked, holding up the novel,

"It belongs to a little flower." He said, smirking.

I gasped,

"Are you fuc-" I began to growl,

"Erm, excuse me?" a voice came from behind me, "Can I have my book back please?"

Rose. Shit.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Before I receive ANY rants. I've merely interpreted them as this age and have decided that the time line for ADJL isn't THAT recent.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

Part 5

John:

I didn't need any more reminding that me leaving the family was one of my worst plans.

First was that Jake hadn't returned. Then there was the fact that the woman who had given birth to my only son swooped in and filed a custody case for him.

The only other woman I had loved besides Susan.

The affair had been beautiful. Me and Susan had had some disagreements outside of school. We had been living together and attending the same university. Let's just say we were seeing too much of one another.

She had slipped into a seat beside me in a lecture. She was a beauty. Caramel skin, soft delicate features, a kind and considerate personality. We had exchanged notes over a coffee afterwards and we had gotten to know one another better.

Then my relationship with Susan turned off. She didn't like my new lifestyle (why did that matter), at that time I had been involved in the hippy movement. If I'm perfectly honest, I don't think it was what I was doing. It was who I was doing it with.

'the lecture girl' as Susan insisted back then.

Either way, I left for Washington and left Susan behind. I was sick of being the victim of scorn and ridicule and decided to go somewhere were I wasn't made fun of anymore.

The hippy movement was running out of steam and me and the aptly named 'lecture girl' (who loved to make speeches that everyone listened to) found ourselves merely staying because the other was. We bought a place in the nations capital. Our relationship was far more prosperous than mine and Susan's.

Then, low and behold, Susan called.

Drake:

Huntsgirl kept pace. Surprisingly agile and tireless for a mortal. Especially considering who she was chasing.

If I'd have been older, my innate vampiric abilities would have far more potent and honed to perfection. Stupid monster hunters!

Slipping and sliding across the wet rooftops of Manhattan. Jumping, sliding and random changes of direction to throw her off. My evening had been an evening in town. A quick run, a movie and then a bite to eat before bed. You know, what any vampire living the high life would do.

And I got to the halfway point of the movie when she'd burst into the theatre and attacked. I was now leading her away from prying eyes because, unfortunately for her, I'm hungry.

Huntsgirl:

Drake Raval was the last vampire to inhabit New York city. The vampires had all left after the Huntsclan's disappearance and no one knew why. But all it meant was that a young, volatile, but increasingly sly, intelligent and completely in control of his urges, vampire was left with the whole city of New York all to himself.

Tut, tut! Greedy, greedy!

Landing on a rooftop I found him turning to face me. Without a seconds hesitation a silver knife flew threw the air. He simply sidestepped it and hurtled at me at impossible speed. His fist uppercutted and hit me under the chin, sending me reeling.

Without thinking I threw 5 cloves of garlic in his direction and rolled into a crouch in time too... See him laugh?

"Seriously?! One vampire had a garlic allergy and all of us have suddenly got one?!" Drake laughed,

I whipped out a silver cross and held it before me, he cursed and backed off.

"What do you want?" He asked,

"How do you know I don't just want you dead?" I growled,

"Cause you'd have brought back up." He shrugged,

"There is no back up." I admitted.

"Wait? That means that any superiors that I could have had to answer to don't exist? So I can kill you without feeling the consequences?"

"Like you'd get close. Cross' protecting me." I said, frowning under the mask,

"It's not the cross as the fact of what it's made with." Drake pointed out, "I have a 65% of avoiding it if I reached out and broke you RIGHT now."

I grimaced and I glared,

"I'm here to make a deal." I admitted,

"I'm all ears."

"There's a boy. He's about to attend Richmond High." I began, tossing a plastic folder in his direction, the papers protecting the paper, "Do what I say and I'll handsomely reward you."

"Oh yeah? What would that reward be?" Drake asked,

"I know who you are. Living for years but not knowing who you were before you were a vampire."

Drake Raval grimaced and his eyes took a distant look. If I was to strike now I'd have a better chance. But I didn't.

"Deal." He said crisply and scooped up the folder.

"Good. I'll be in touch." I said, smirking. Manipulation was the best part of the job.

"Question. How do I know that you actually do know who I am." Drake asked,

"I knew you personally." I sighed, remembering the teenagers stormy grey hair, his dirty blonde locks and his tall and dangerous demanor. "Victor."

His eyes widened and I lowered my arm and I turned to leave,

"What do I have to do with this boy?" He asked and I simply called back my answer,

"Kill him."

Rose:-

"Excuse me? Can I have my book back please?" I asked politely, blushing when he spun around and smiled sheepishly,

"Sorry." He said, "I didn't realise whose it was." He held out the book for me to take.

We both blushed (which was made worse after our finger tips brushed in the exchange) causing me to smile at him shyly.

"Sorry."

"No problem." I sighed, looking up at his face, ready to ask him the question that had been bugging me since I'd remembered my induction year, "Did you go to Fillmore elementary?"

Something crossed his face, he flicked his gaze back to two people behind him. They were unimportant at this time to me,

"Erm, yeah..." He said slowly,

"Oooohhh! That's where I know you from!" I screeched, over joyed I'd remembered him. It had irritated me for days!

This time, I caught it. Relief. Relief passed over his face,

"I'm offended! How could you forget such a handsome guy?!" He smirked and I concealed a laugh behind a cough,

"Maybe by thinking more about his irritating personality traits." I said, "And forgetting what an interesting and handsome body they come out of."

"You call it irritating, others view it as charming." He said,

"Well. I'm not others."

"And we'd never want you to be anything other than you are." He said with a shrug of his perfect shoulders.

I couldn't come up with a comeback. His compliment had left me speechless.

"Pleasure speaking to you." He said and the shirt less boy was gone. With his entourage of two. Leaving me. The nerdy book worm with a ridiculous blush on her cheeks.

Jake:-

That wasn't nearly as awkward as I let on. Not!

"I hate you Spud."

"What?!" He cried, honestly offended,

"Don't worry Spudinski. You've still got me." Trixie consoled him, smirking at the boys clueless-ness.

I smiled at my friends and put my shirt on. We retrieved our boards and went out for some much needed hanging out time. Skate park!

Or not!

John:

After all these years, I still remember Susan's call.

"John. Please. I'm sorry. Spending all this time without you has made me realise how much I really need you. Please come back."

I'd tried to keep it quiet but she'd found out and packed my bags,

"You and me, it wouldn't have worked in the long run. Besides, you need her more than you need me."

And so after a heartfelt goodbye I broke up with my only other long time girlfriend and returned to the other.

Trading girlfriends meant trading lifestyles. I'd lived simply and accumulated much wealth in the bumper sticker business but new demands required me to obtain a job.

Marriage was the new demands.

Three weeks after my return, Susan asked ME to be with her forever and I complied without a moments hesitation. Well maybe one.

We were happily wed and I was covered in cake for the most part of the reception but I married my childhood crush with the intention of creating a happy family with her. Bliss.

Then she returned and added a new chapter to the story.

Jake:

"Legal what?" I exclaimed down the phone,

"Legal visitation. We have one scheduled at 5:30" Mrs Park said, "I need you to get back home now. Ok?"

"It's 3:30!" I moaned, looking to Trixie and Spud who were watching him.

After 5 minutes of arguing I reluctantly agreed to head home,

"Sorry guys. Gotta run." I sighed after hanging up,

They nodded and we agreed to see each other at school. The final days of summer vacation were upon them.

In two hours I skated home, showered, dressed and texted Trixie and Spud for an hour before me and Mrs Park left.

Time to see daddy!

John:

When she returned we kept things simply platonic. No flirting, no contact and absolutely NO being alone together. But it had to all happen at once.

Sex is sort of like that.

Like usual, she had popped into my life when me and Susan were having difficulties. A forbidden fruit to tempt me. Susan and I had been in a disagreement about starting a family. I wanted to wait until we were financially stable but Susan was impatient. It had caused a huge row and the need for me to crash somewhere.

Obviously SHE was willing to have me. Susan was ready for divorce and had even sent me away with the papers. So she saw that I was down in the dumps and found the only way to console me.

That was the night myself and Sun Park created my beautiful son Jake Long.

Susan:

Yes. He's not my son. But I raised him, fed him, clothed him and loved him when his real mother was absent. So of course we petitioned for either joined custody or visitation. We got the latter and that was what we were preparing for.

I could never be unhappy with John for having a child with another woman. It would make me feel rather hypocritical and wrong. Lying to him for 20 years was nothing compared to having a child with a woman when we weren't together.

I remember when Jake arrived. Sun Park had him wrapped in blankets and had appeared on our doorstep in the dead of night, she claimed that some 'people' were after her and she couldn't allow Jake to be hurt and begged for John to take him until the heat died down.

The Hunstclan chased her for 14 years after she had dispatched the Huntsman of the time and his second in command. Then her own son's girlfriend brought them back together. At last giving the woman who had crawled into his life (slowly) a way to scoop up her baby once more.

What I did feel unhappy about. Was the events effect on my family.

John was so much more interested in work. We had crossed a line where my apologies and bitter tears wouldn't make anything better. My actions had drove him away and in this time he had lost his only son.

Haley was practically bouncing off of the walls in excitement. Which was a vast improvement to her previous behaviour. When she had returned she hadn't spoken more than two words to us both. Me and John for the lies, John for being overly harsh (albeit unbeknown) after everything Jake had gone through, John for leaving and me, well. Me for many things. So many.

Either way, she was happy to see her brother, John was over joyed to see his son. And me, shamefully, I hated the boys guts. His birth drove a wedge into my family, so (if it was hypocritical to hate the father) I'm going to hate the son. The bastard son of 'lecture girl'.

Ding dong! Ooh! Guests have arrived!

Marvellous!


	6. Chapter 6

Jake:

"That went well." I growled to myself as I walked down the street, alone. At 11:15 at night. Heading away from my 'family'.

The visit had gone terribly. At first it was ok. Mom (Susan! Need to get used to that) was acting weird. But it was alright. Mr and Haley were talking and then Dad brought up the dragon thing.

Then things got complicated.

He stressed that it was ok and he understood why I lied and how Miss Park was unable to tell him anyway. Then Susan exploded.

_"Oh! So your favourite girl can lie and son can lie and it's all fine with you. Huh?" Mom, no, Susan began_

_"Susan. Please!" Dad sighed,_

_"No John. Those two, I want them out of this house."_

_"He's my son Susan." Dad shouted_

_"Yes, well he's not mine. And besides, Haley's your daughter!" Susan growled_

_"He's my brother mom." Haley chirped,_

_"Half brother. Half from your father and half from that freak over there!" Susan growled, pointing a finger at the silent Sun Park. "Got anything to say lecture girl?!"_

_"Jake is as much your son as mine Susan." Miss Park said weakly,_

_"No. He's yours. And only yours." Susan denied,_

_"Leave my son out of your evident personal problems." Miss Park growled angrily_

_"Your son is one of my personal problems!" Susan concurred_

_"Can I say something?" I asked,_

_"NO!" The adults roared at me. So in my rage I stomped out. Slamming the doors behind me._

Now, I found myself, angry, alone and extremely confused.

No wonder I didn't see the attack coming.

Drake:

I was taller than him, faster and stronger. Through sheer humanity AND vampiric ability. He was shorter than me by a few inches and may have been built well but he was still inferior.

So when I dropped from a lamp post and struck him in the back of the head, I assumed that he wouldn't get back up and that my job was over.

For him to not only rise back to his feet, transform into a winged, scaly dragon and breath fire at me. That was something I didn't see coming.

I dodged the initial assault but my coat was set ablaze by the second, forcing me to drop it or be burnt alive. I stepped forward to strike, only to be swatted aside by the dragons powerful tail, knocking me into a wall.

We grappled and my inhuman strength gave me the upper hand. I slipped a bone shattering blow, to the seemingly indestructible dragon ribs. He staggered back mildly winded and I shot up the wall and ran. Leaping from roof to roof and successfully escaping.

This I going to be harder than I thought.

Huntsgirl:

A vampire. Defeated by a dragon. Pitiful!

If I wasn't so certain that Raval could get it done, I would cut him off and do it myself.

'Patience.' I tell myself, 'Have faith. Soon it will be over...'

Rose:

Beautiful dreams. That was what happened the night before school.

It was a simple dream. But what was scary was they held crystal clear images of the boy who I had knocked the grocery bags out of his hands and had some rather far from innocent glances at him as he trained for the soccer team.

_The dream had begun in a snow covered park. We stood before a snow man we had spent the last ten minutes preparing. I went off to collect some sticks for arms and returned to find our rather mundane snowman become, well, me._

_Next, we were on a snowy mountain where he struggled and stuttered for words. Unable to form a coherent sentence. Which I found adorable. Until the moment was ruined by a large blonde bohemeth._

_Then the bus ride. Climbing onto the bus and making a beeline to him. For him to be so upset, so angry. I was sorry for avoiding and ignoring him. I truly was. But he seemed to not want anything to do with me. So I walked away miserably. Could my life be any worse?_

Then I awoke, feeling a strange aching in my chest and a strong yearning. As if some magnetic force was attracting me and I was unknowingly resisting.

That magnetic force was this boy. This boy who, after two chance encounters, had gotten under my skin.

I wasn't stupid, I had a crush on this boy. Oh well. What will be, will be.

Trixie:

We didn't see Jake for the last two days of vacation. He called and told us his family had had a fall out and they were going to be in councilling for a few days.

It must be tough for him. No offence, Mrs Park's a great person to have as a mom. But it must be bad finding this out 14 years after being born.

On the first day of term, it found me and Spud slipping our boards into our respective lockers in Richmond High. We breathed in the air of high school gratefully. Prepared for what it held,

"Rotwood and Mrs Park have WHAT?!" Spud shrieked at Stacey. Who had been shouting the new around the corridor,

"They switched jobs to work here. It's terrible!" She moaned and walked off back up the corridor telling others,

"Mrs Park's ok I guess. But Rotwood?"

"It'll be to keep an eye on Jake." Spud said observantly, "He won't let the only dragon he knows and his chance at fortune and fame slip through his fingers."

"Hmm." I said, Spud had become less goofy over the summer and his intelligence was shooting through like a sprouting sun flower. It was a welcome and unexpected change.

"Look. There's Jake." I called, spotting him in a throng of people observing a notice board.

"Hey Jakey." I said, barging through and slinging an arm around his now broad shoulders lazily, 'this used to be so much easier!'

"Hey Trix." He smirked, "Hey Spud."

Spud waved and looked to the board,

"So you're on the team. Congrats buddy!" Spud laughed and threw his arms aroung the pair of us and we laughed heartily. "Oh guess who's arrived?"

Jake looked and immediately shrugged out of our group hug,

"I'll catch up to you guys later." He said and rushed off down the hall,

"Where's he going in such a hurry?!" I asked, shocked,

"Three guesses." Spud laughed, I caught his meaning and smirked,

"Lover boy and ninja girl round two." I laughed, "Come on Spudinski. Just you and me again."

I looked back to see him with her. I could only see his back. With his faded jeans and red t-shirt facing the blushing girl that was so obviously Rose. Even if she was in glasses.

'Be happy.' I thought to myself, projecting my thoughts to the pair. I couldn't bare to see Jake hurt again...

Rose:-

Bullies. I hated them.

So when I walked into my new high school in New York and saw an integrated bully system, immediately I sighed. Everywhere. They were everywhere.

I walked down the hall and found my new locker. I straightened my denim skirt and fixed the bobble holding up my ponytail.

I placed my backpack into it and only took out the necessary books for first two periods and closed and locked it again.

Walking down the hallway I saw plenty of friendship groups. I contemplated going over and introducing myself but found that I couldn't come up with the words too. They all seemed so familiar with one another and I was afraid of dying of embarrassment on the first day. So I simply straightened my glasses and moved on.

Now, I expected to be bullied. But not on the first day. I expected to be bullied the day after but it appeared fate wasn't rolling in my favour.

"Hey four eyes! New around here?" A tall burly guy in a blue and red football jersey said, a ridiculous smirk on his large round head, the boy had a buzz cut and stank of testosterone and self-love. Perfect!

"Yeah I am. Excuse me." I said politely but firmly and attempted to sidestep the boy, who simply blocked my path again.

"Where are you goin?" He said,

"I'm trying to get to my class." I said, straightening glasses and pulling the sleeves of my blue sweater back up,

"Well, don't let me keep you- ooh slip!" He began calmly before slamming his hand down onto my books and knocked them from my hands. Running away laughing,

It seemed to happen in slow motion.

As my books fell to the ground, two hands shot out and scooped up all of them before they could even come close to the ground. I looked up to see a boy with obvious Chinese heritage and questionable green tips at the end of his heavily gelled black hair. I recognised him, it was the guy I had bumped into on the way home from the groceries.

"Thanks." I said gratefully,

"No problem." He said smiling, "I'm Jacob, Jacob Long. But my friends just call me Jake."

"Rose Smith." I replied and held out a hand. With a lot of manoeuvring we shook hands and he handed back my books.

"New around here?"

"Yeah, my mom and dad just got back together." I said, not knowing why I told him that, maybe it was just his friendly nature.

"Oh. So they broke up?" He asked, sounding concerned somehow,

"Yeah, when we were young. I went to live with my mom and my twin sister went with my dad." I said, "We all kept in touch and now we're a proper family again."

"Well, that's nice." He said, he avoided my eyes for a few minutes. It was like he was hiding something or something was bothering him. One of the two.

"Well, see you around Rose." He said and smiled and waved cheerfully before departing.

"Bye Jake Long." I said softly.

The day passed quickly, with merely slight glances at Jake. He hadn't been in any of my classes and he didn't seem to be eating his lunch at the same time as me. So I left for home slightly dissapointed.

I walked out of the front door when it happened,

"Heads up!" A voice called before someone collided with me. Knocking me to my knees and scattering my books. "Oh hey! I'm so sorry."

Low and behold. Jake's eyes met me as I looked up. Finding him scooping up my books, his perfectly gelled hair sticking out from his skateboarding helmet.

"Oh, no problem." I said, wincing as I got up. Assisted my Jake who then handed me my books,

"I'm sooo sorry!" He apologised again, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, straightening my glasses and smiling at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his concern extremely touching,

"Yeah. Totally." I said, "See you tomorrow."

"Erm, ok. Bye." He said and skated off. Whilst I rushed across the road and to my sister who was getting into dads car.

"Hey girls!" Dad said as me and Lily slipped into the car, "How was school?"

"Great! Me and Rose made the track team!" Lily chirped, unusually happy,

"Great. And you Rose? How was your first day at school?"

"I have to admit." I said, my mind on a certain Chinese boy I know, "I can't wait to go back."

"That's fantastic." He said, smiling at me through the mirror as he drove off. The further we got away the stronger that pull from this morning became. I can't wait for school.

**From here on in... You may remember (no pun intended) the next few chapters.**


	7. Chapter 7

Rose:-

"I wish Rose was never taken by the Huntsclan!" Echoed through my head as my alarm clock went off for another boring school day. I groaned and hit it, knocking it flying and it tore from the plug socket. Silencing the infernal device.

I rolled onto my back and did my morning review. My name is Rose Smith. I live with my mom and dad and twin sister Lily in New York. I have attended Richmond High School for three weeks and I'm the subject of pretty much everyone's crushes (unfortunately).

My 'morning review' consisted of that and whatever I had been dreaming about. I'd had this weird dream last night and the night before. I was some wacko ninja who hunted down magical creatures who's boyfriend was a guy who could transform into a dragon. Confusing. Anyway, I was being pulled into the air by my birthmark in my left wrist. Which was oddly enough, a dragon. It was glowing green and I knew that if I got high enough, I'd die. I was resigned to it. Then my boyfriend would scream 'I wish Rose was never taken by the Huntsclan!' And I'd be engulfed by a green light and the dream would end. It was VERY confusing.

The most confusing bit is who my dream 'boyfriend' is. He's a the keeper for the Richmond High Soccer team and our meeting involved me knocking his groceries out of his hands. I was certain I had seen him before but I was uncertain where.

I'd somehow forgotten that I'd done an induction year at Fillmore Middle School on Dad's request. And it was where I had met Jake.

Yet a nagging feeling in my chest said otherwise.

I sighed, completely stumped and rolled out of bed and started to get ready for school.

About an hour later, at 7 o clock, I was dressed in a white t-shirt and a purple skirt and my contact lenses were in.. I walked over to a small desk in my room and picked up a pile of books that had Friday stuck on top of it on a post it note. Clutching them to my chest I walked out of my room and across our apartment to the kitchen.

I found my twin sister Lily, sipping a mug of coffee at the breakfast table when I walked in. Reading a gossip magazine.

Lily was wearing black jeans and a red vest top.

"Hey sis." I said, dumping my books on the table and grabbing some bread,

"Hey!" She replied, giving me a warm smile as I popped the toast in the toaster, "Sleep well?"

I shrugged, "Ish..." She understood and returned to her magazine. The toaster pinged as dad walked in.

"Morning girls!" He said happily. He wore a white shirt and black trousers. He had spiked chocolate brown hair and streaks of grey in the sides which he was running a comb through,

"Morning daddy!" Me and Lily said together as I buttered my toast and Lily finished her coffee, "How are we this fine morning."

"Good thanks dad." Lily said, getting up and putting her mug in the sink,

"I'm ok thank you." I said smiling.

"Good." He said, walking over to the kettle and boiling it. I went and sat at the breakfast table. As I chomped on my toast my mind continued to wonder to the black haired boy who was in my dreams and my reality.

Dad dropped us off at school an hour and a half later and myself and Lily met up with some of our friends. We stood in a group and chatted until a voice shouted at us.

"Wow, one side! Coming through!" Said a female voice, we turned to look and fastly approaching was an African girl wearing a hoodie with a panda's head in the centre and blue jeans on a skateboard. Closely followed by a tall guy in a green hat with a blue long sleeved top with a green alien on it and green army bottoms. Also on a skateboard. We parted and they skated through.

We were just reforming our group when a third skater approached, he had spiky black hair, he wore a red jacket with blue trousers. Everyone moved aside except for me. I was in his way. I just realised this just as it was too late to move and I braced for impact.

But I was never hit.

He kicked his board high in the air and it soared over my head, he then did a forward roll in between my open legs and caught his board on the other side. He ran, chucking his board down and skated after the pair as they went to the stairs.

I looked over at him and my eyes narrowed. He was the boy from my dream. I needed to talk to him. I made an excuse to leave and walked into school...

Jake:-

When I saw Rose the first time. I assumed that I'd break down in tears there and then. I was so wrong. Seeing her face so happy and innocent just made me even happier knowing my wish came true and she was happy and had what she'd always wanted. Her family back.

I'd decided that I'd leave her be. If she came to me THEN I'd talk to her. But in the mean time, I'm staying well away.

I barely crashed into her outside and it was a really close shave. I didn't even know I could do what I'd just done and I probably wouldn't be able to do it again. I caught up with Trixie and Spud and we all got off our boards and walked into school. We ditched our boards in our lockers and stood around talking outside homeroom.

"So Jakey..." Trixie started nervously. Her voice hushed, "Are you gonna. You know..."

"Go round 2 with Rose." Spud finished, equally as quiet. Looking up and down the rapidly filling corridor.

"I dunno guys." I said honestly. Starting to relive some of the good times between me and her, "I dunno."

"It's been 3 weeks dude. Make a move." Trixie said.

"Speaking of our favourite ninja she-witch." Spud said and I followed his gaze to Rose who was walking up the corridor, clutching a pile of books to her chest. Her long gold hair streaming down her back. She wore a white t-shirt and a purple skirt. Her eyes searched the corridor and locked on me. Something flashed in them. Recognition.

If I hadn't seen been talking to her for the past few weeks and re-getting to know her and known she didn't remember a thing, I'd have thought she still knew who I was. No such luck. I sighed and Trix and Spud looked at me worriedly. I gave them a smile showing them I was ok.

She walked over and stood by us.

"Hey Jake!" She said, her voice music to my ears, "Nice moves out there."

"Thanks. It was a spur of the moment thing." I said, smiling. We then settled into a silence. Then Trixie walked off, I was just about to look when I saw Spud roll his eyes.

"Hey Kyle!" She trilled. I groaned,

"Really?!" I moaned, "It's too early for this!"

"You're telling me!" Spud agreed.

"To early for what?" Rose asked, looking confused and looking at each of us in turn.

"Wait and see..." I said and she nodded and waited patiently. After 5 minutes, Kyle walked away and Trixie walked back over. She sighed,

"Kyle Wilkins." She sighed, "Oooh, one day. I'm telling you! One day!"

She began humming in contentment and I walked over to Rose,

"It was worse yesterday." I whispered in her ear.

"Oooh Kyle's fine! Like-" she began but me and Spud cut in,

"Like lemon lime in the summertime!" We groaned,

"Yeah, yeah ok. Can you cork it now?!" Spud said. And she zipped her lips, humming again.

"Morning class." A voice came from behind us and Sun Park stood behind us.

"Morning Mrs Park." I said.

"Morning Jake, can we have a word please? Inside?" She asked. I nodded and we walked into the classroom.

She sat in her chair and I perched on the edge of a desk. From the way she looked this wasn't a mother and son conversation,

"So, it appears your wish worked." Sun said,

"Yeah, it did." I said, confused.

"Your grandfather told me to give you a talk about the abuse of power so here it is..."

After hearing those words I felt a sense of dread. Here we go.

"I'm extremely proud of you." She said calmly,

"Say what?!" I exclaimed, stupefied.

"You saved Rose's life. You acted completely selflessly and I'm proud of that. Your 'grandfather wants to see you at the shop though. Well done Jake. Now sit down, the bells about to go." And sure enough, the bell went. She went into full teacher mode and the rest of the students filed in.

I contemplated not going. He wasn't REALLY my grandfather but is still had a job there. Sooo...

I walked to the back of class and took a seat. Trixie sat in front and Spud sat to left. The only other available desk nearby. I smiled and the two looked at me puzzled.

"I'll tell you later." I said and they shrugged and we began the lesson.

Rose:-

He sat at the back and my curiosity seemed to grow as homeroom continued. I sat at the front with Brad to my left shamelessly flirting. As normal, I ignored him and kept my eyes locked on the boy in red. He was telling the freckled boy and the black girl something and was animatedly moving his arms. His eyes were flashing and I could honestly say he looked pretty good looking like that. How could I have forgotten a boy like that?!

The bell went and I scanned my timetable. Mythology, Rottwood, perfect. NOT! How he had got away with ditching being a Middle School principal to being a highschool Mythology teacher I will never know.

Weaving through the crowd I walked into class and looked around. Rottwood wasn't in yet and all but two seats where taken. One was next to Brad, who was winking and patting the chair expectantly I rolled my eyes and looked at the only other empty seat. My heart seemed to back flip inside my chest. The only other chair was next to him. Next to Jake.

He was leaning over to his right where his two friends sat in the top right hand corner, just in front of the teachers desk. I took a breath and walked over to them. Passing 3 desks that had 2 people sitting at each. I walked along and stood by the desk, I cleared my throat softly and Jake turned around immediately and gave me a warm smile,

"Is this seat taken?" I asked, he pulled the chair out and tapped it,

"It can be..." He said with a crafty half smile. I giggled involuntary, he was quite cute. I slipped into the chair and placed my pile of books in my corner of the desk. Jake was chatting with his friends again and I desperately tried to keep my eyes from wandering to him.

Thankfully, Rottwood finally barged into the room. I breathed a sigh of relief,

"Morning hoodlums!" He said in his heavy Germanic accent, "Today we shall prepare for a 3 page essay on Dragons."

I groaned as did most of the class. I involuntarily turned to my right and saw Jake and his buddy's leaning back in their chairs smiling. They seemed pleased. Rottwood glared at them and wrinkled his nose at Jake.

"Which of course..." He began, "Mr Long knows all about!" He said, spitting out the words 'Mr Long' as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

"Why, yes I do sir." He said, smirking. I looked over at him. Rottwood and Jakes eyes were locked and a war seemed to be waging silently between the pair.

"And, HOW did you get to be so educated on such a topic?" Rottwood asked, looking down triumphantly at his student,

"I have the worlds GREATEST teacher sir." Jake replied sarcastically. I saw Rottwood's face turn redder than a ripe tomato. He stuttered and flustered he yelled as the class began laugh. Myself included,

"ENOUGH!" He shouted and everyone quietened down, "Thank you. Now Mr Long, you will now do a 7 page essay on Dragons. Seeing as your astute knowledge on the subject can allow this to be done for Monday."

"Awww MAN!" He moaned and flicked open his book and slipped a pen out of his jacket pocket and began to write furiously. Whilst Rottwood began his lecture on Dragons.

I tried to pay attention, but I felt like I'd heard this all before. So instead I began to doodle. By halfway through the lesson I'd unconsciously drawn a scaled snake like dragon spiralling around my page. The dragon looked vaguely familiar for some odd reason. I shrugged it off and went back to staring at Jake from the corner of my eyes. His face was scrunched up in concentration as he scribbled word after word. Filling the page in no time.

Why is he so familiar?! I've seen him somewhere and it's not like just passing him in the corridor at Fillmore. It's something... More...

After 3 hours of mind melting torture, Rottwood released us for lunch and we couldn't leave the room fast enough. I walked behind Jake and his friends as we made for the lunch hall, I picked up on some of their conversation.

"So, when did you stop doing the essay?" The African girl asked,

"I was finished 2 hours in. Why do you ask?" He replied,

"Me and Trixie saw the switching of books. Diary boy." The tall hatted boy said,

"Spud! It's not a diary!" Jake said, "It's an account of EVERYTHING that's happened since, you know..." He said, trailing off and the girl Trixie and boy Spud nodded,

"Where are you up to?" Trixie said, her voice hushed, I still found it easy to pick up their words,

"The Grand Equinox hunt." He sighed, and his shoulders seemed to droop. What was this' Grand Equinox hunt'? It sounded so familiar but yet again. I couldn't place it.

We walked into the lunch hall and I saw my sister hanging with the girls from this morning, Stacey, Janet and Harley. Stacey and Janet are cheerleaders and wore the uniform of a frilly white skirt and a white top. But Stacy had straw coloured blond hair tied in a ponytail by a red bobble. Then Janet had shoulder length black hair and a strangely hooked nose. Harley wore a red sweater and black jeans, she had waist length fiery ginger hair. I slipped into a seat next to her and Lily slid a tray over to me. Laden with a slice of pizza, a plate of green jello and a cup of cola. School food.

"Thanks sis." She nodded in my direction and continued to stare at the lunch line. I followed her gaze and saw she was staring at someone in it. Jake!

"Hey girls?" They all turned to look at me, "Who's that?" Janet asked, pointing at Jake. Coming from another state was new aroung here too,

"OMG! How can you NOT know who he is. He's like the cutest guy in school!" Lily said,

"His names Jake Long. I'm pretty sure Jake's short for something though." Harley said, her eyes drifting.

"The kids he hangs out with are Trixie and Arthur. But Arthur likes to be called Spud. I dunno. He's a creep either way." Stacey said shuddering.

"Anyway..." Harley said, trying to keep us on subject, "The three of them have been state skateboarding champions of the state a couple of times each and Jake was the DJ at one of the dances. You know the one I'm talking about right? The one you went to with Brad?"

I rolled my eyes and groaned, remembering that well. It was where my resentment towards the jock had began. He had left me for another guys date. I'd ended up having an amazing time though because I'd danced with the guy who'd had his date stolen by Brad. He'd told me he wanted to dance with the most beautiful girl in the room and looked at me. I'd never felt so special.

"Hey, didn't you dance with Jake at that one?" Harley asked,

I flashed back,

FLASHBACK:-

I sat alone at a table. Jake was DJ-ing and Brad had just ran off with his date. A gorgeous girl in a sparkly red dress and waist length black hair. He'd told me before he ran off that I was hot but Jasmine (Jakes date) was smoking. His exact words. I sighed and took a sip of water.

I saw Jake making his way across the dance floor. His friend in the blue dress with the handbag had taken control of the DJ booth, and the hits just kept on coming, she was pretty good. He took a seat next to me and I talked to him,

"Brad said he only asked me here so he could dance with the prettiest girl in the room." I said and sighed, "I guess he got his wish." I stared down at my shoes,

"Come on," Jake said, I looked over and he was smiling and holding out his hand, "I want to dance with the prettiest girl in the room."

FLASHBACK over

"Um, yeah. I think so." I said, knowing for certain now that I did. How could I forget THAT.

"OMG, Jake is the sweetest thing." Harley exclaimed, I laughed.

I looked over at Lily, she'd been really quiet. She hadn't been able to go to the dance. She'd been grounded.

"Hey sis. What's up?" I asked. She blushed and myself, Harley, Janet and Stacey stared awaiting an answer,

"I think I'm crushing." She said, "Big time."

Something inside me switched and I felt a bubble of anger rise within me. I was biting back something but I couldn't think of what it was. Stacey broke the silence that descended,

"Well join the que of the disappointed. Because we ALL know he's already made up his mind." She said and we went back to lunch. I held it off of my face but I had a deep disappointment inside of me. Who had he decided on. Maybe it was the girl in the hoodie. Trixie? Looking at them I sincerely doubted it.

As I pondered, I noticed the trio that was Jake, Trixie and Spud get up from their table and ditch their trays and walk out.

"Hey, where do you think they're going?" I asked, before spooning the last of my lunch into my mouth.

"We've got a free period. They're probably going to the skate park down the street." Janet answered. Then she and Stacey rose.

"Gotta go, cheer leading practice and they skipped out. Then Harley rose,

"Library. Got the chemistry test to study for." She then left. I gulped down my cola and got up.

"Later sis." I called as I left, clutching my books.

I began to walk to the library but I saw Jake grabbing his skateboard from his locker and running down the hall with it.

"Hmmm..." I pondered. The chemistry test was next week, "I can miss ONE study session."

I ran after the trio, to see the skate boarding the girls had bragged about.


	8. Chapter 8

Jake:-

After lunch, we ditched out trays and grabbed our boards. We had free period and the skate park was LITERALLY next door to school. We skated around for a while, working on skills. But I felt like I was just automated and Spud and Trix noticed. So we skated to a bench.

"You alright buddy?" Spud asked, sounding concerned.

"I don't know Spud." I sighed, "I miss her you know. The OLD her."

Spud nodded, understanding,

"Maybe writing it all down. Wasn't the best idea." Spud jested and I shoved him playfully.

"You REALLY miss her don't you?" Trixie asked,

"Yeah." I said, "I know the wish was perfect but I really wish I had gotten her memories of US with it. She doesn't even know who I am!" I said and I bowed my head.

I counted backwards from 10 then shot up,

"Come on guys, we came to skate. So let's skate!" I said enthusiastically. So we shredded for the next 30 minutes. Then we headed back to school.

It happened so quickly. Rose had been out of school as well and was ahead of us when a group of stout green skinned and hooked nosed goblins jumped her.

"Hello Huntsgirl. Ready to die like your pathetic Huntsclan?!" They threatened. Circling Rose. She shrieked,

"Trixie! Spud! Get her out of there!" I yelled at the pair,

"On it!" They both said and, dropping their boards, ran through the circle of goblins and rushed off with Rose.

"Get back here!" They yelled.

"Yo! Goblins. Wanna taste of this?" I yelled, getting their attention, "Dragon up!"

My body was covered in blue fire and I became a 7ft red scaled dragon with green spikes down my back.

"The American Dragon?!" They screamed, "Flee! Flee NOW!" The cried, knocking over each other in their attempt to get away. I became human again,

"And that's how the Mac daddy does his thing." I said and picked up all three boards and walked back to school. Trixie and Spud were trying to calm Rose down.

"Huntsclan, what the heck is the Huntsclan?! Why do I know about it but I don't! Eugh!" She shrieked, pacing in front of the school doors.

I pulled a small bottle of purple liquid with a spraying nozzle on it from my pocket and sprayed her in the face. Immediately she calmed down and walked back into school.

"Memory loss potion?" Trixie asked

"Mmm Hmm." I replied, slipping the bottle back into my jacket pocket. The bell went signalling for our last lesson. English.

We sat in the same seating plan as Mythology. So I was at the front next to Rose. I acted as if the whole incident outside hadn't happened and got on with the lesson,

"Oh, by the way." Rose said when we had roughly 5 minutes left, "What the heck! You sprayed me in the face!"

I gasped,

"How much do you remember from outside?" I asked,

"Everything." She said.

I gasped, deep down something stirred. If she remembers that. Why not 'other' things.

"How?" I asked,

"I just thought of where the time had gone and it seemed to pop back into place." She said,

I sighed, if she had to think of it that way then she wasn't going to remember everything else.

"You where attacked by some weirdo's. End of story." I said,

"But what about this Huntsclan I'm hearing about everywhere?!" She snarled,

"Do I LOOK like Sherlock Holmes?" My reply was and she had no reply. I then looked over at her,

"Did they hurt you?" I asked, concerned, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She said and gave me a warm smile, "Thanks, you, Trixie and Spud saved me. Thank you."

She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and we both blushed. Then the bell went and she ran off. Vacating with the rest of the class, I was still frozen in my seat. She'd just kissed me. Wow...

Rose:-

"Did they hurt you?" He asked looking at me, concern etched onto his face, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." I said and gave him a warm smile, "Thanks, you, Trixie and Spud saved me. Thank you."

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and we both blushed. Then the bell went and I ran off. Leaving him in his chair.

I giggled as I left school and the blush still remained on my cheeks. Even when I got into mom and dads blue car, then mom drove me and Lily home.

"So how was your day girls?"

"Ok." Lily grunted

"Great." I sighed, completely over the fact that those weird green guys jumped me. Then I looked at my mom and my sister who were looking at me like I was a weirdo.

"What!" I exclaimed and they both laughed, I blushed harder.

The rest of the drive was done in silence. When we got back I went of to my room and Lily to hers. I plopped down on my bed with my books still in hand. I just lay there thinking; that purple thing, what was it? Some memory loss potion? Probably...

I sighed; I still have my essay to do for Rottwood. I got up and took my Mythology book to my desk and took out a pen and started to write. Then, my pen died. Ink-less, it just left scratches on my page. I needed another one, I'd done 1and a half pages but I still had tons I could write. I opened a draw under my desk and probed the dark interior with my hand. My hand enclosed on something, but it wasn't a pen.

Dragging it out I found a brown leather bound book in my hands. It had black floral decorations on it and it looked vaguely familiar. I opened the first page and it was a page of lined paper with the words 'Diary of Rose' in intricate flowing handwriting. I gasped and shut the book.

I have never EVER wrote a diary. I mean ever. I regarded the book. I ran through many possibilities of how it had got there. I could find no plausible answer. It was my name, done in my handwriting. I decided to figure it out later.

An hour later my essay was done and I had cleared my desk of everything but the mysterious book. Which lay in the centre. Just waiting to be read. I ran my hand over the cover and my breath came out in strangled gasps.

"Rose! Dinner!" My mom yelled, making me jump. I sighed and walked out of my room. Shooting a wary glance at the book.

We had spaghetti and meat balls for dinner. Dad was working a late shift at the office so we had to eat alone. Me, mom and Lily. We laughed, chatted, then an awkward conversation popped up.

"Soo, Rose..." Lily said, "What was with you after school huh? Finally realised you LOVE Brad?" She said craftily. Knowing I hate Brad with a passion. I blushed all over again, remembering leaving Jake frozen in his chair,

"Um, can I not answer that?" I asked with a nervous giggle and mom shook her head and Lily raised an eyebrow. She shot me a look that seemed to say 'Seriously?!' I sighed and gave in,

"Well erm, I kind of like... This guy, and um, I..." I said, trying to stall. Lily was impatient, I could tell, so I just shot into it, "I kissed him."

"YOU WHAT?!" Lily screamed, mom looked shocked. But not at me.

"What's the problem Lily?" She asked.

"Please tell me it wasn't the skater guy from lunchtime." She said,

"His name is Jake and so what if it was?!" I snarled, suddenly annoyed that she'd called Jake 'that skater guy',

"Because Rose. I've got a crush on him. I told you that!" She said, sounded hurt and offended, "And I totally like him way more than you do!"

That comment grated on me,

"You obviously don't like him THAT much. You couldn't even remember his name." I retorted,

"Mind went blank. Besides, so what if you know his name? You know nothing about him." She said, her voice beginning to rise,

"Oh yeah?!" I said, my voice rising as well.

"Girls! Calm down!" Mom shouted, but we were in complete row mode,

"Yeah! You know pretty much NOTHING about him! You're that stupid nerdy prick from out of town!" Lily shouted, I nearly popped. She knew absolutely nothing. Something happened inside of me, my mind felt like it was flooded with information. Using this I spoke calmly,

"His name is Jacob Lucas Long. He lives with his mom Mrs Park. His dad and his 8 year old sister Haley live with his step-mom. His favourite colour is red, he works at his grandpa's electronics shop. His grandpa's called Lao Shi and he has a dog called Fuu. He skateboards to school everyday and he skates with Trixie and Spud everyday except for Wednesday when he has to get to his grandpa's shop early. He has a hard time talking to girls and he's a loyal friend." I said quickly, my brain seemed to do the equivalent to throwing in my head,

"How did you know all of that?!" Lily gasped, looking like she'd just had a bucket of ice cold water poured over her head. The truth was, I don't know how I knew all of that, but I couldn't say that,

"I know because I care. Now if you'll excuse me. I'm going to bed." I said and I rose from my chair around the circular kitchen table, "Thanks mom. Dinner was great. Goodnight." Then I went to my room.

I fell backwards onto my bed; I had a splitting headache and I didn't know what to do. How did I know all of this stuff? I looked over at the book I had found. It probably held all of the answers, maybe if I read it I'd know all about this Huntsclan, the connection between me and them and why Jake looked so familiar. I got up and picked it up but I just couldn't bring myself to read it. So I tossed it in my school bag, along with the books for the next day, got into my pyjamas and went to bed. Certain an answer would present itself in time...


	9. Chapter 9

Jake:-

Even after two hours, the feeling of Rose's lips on my cheek was fresh in my mind. Something about it had been different from before. But place it, I could not.

When I'd FINALLY gotten over the kiss, I walked out of class and skated to Gramps' shop,

"Jake!" The white haired dwarf of a man screamed when I entered, "You are 30 minutes late, unacceptable!"

I sighed and propped my board up by the door and looked around the shop, Fuu dog was surfing the net, Gramps was sitting by the counter on a stool. The shop was messy and had the usual clutter everywhere.

"Sorry Gramps." I said, "Hey Fuu!"

"Sup kid," he replied, not taking his eyes off of the screen, "Oh hello, well va va voom to you too." The grey furred wrinkled dog exclaimed, staring at the picture of a poodle on the screen.

I began to stack some boxes up into small manageable piles of twos and took them to the back of the store. I did this until there were no boxes left. I then got a broom from the back and swept the clutter and dirt up, that was when Gramps spoke to me,

"I assume Councillor Park spoke with you today at school." He said from behind his newspaper,

"Err, Yeah." I said, recalling the conversation this morning,

"And..." He said,

"I know I'm not supposed to abuse magical powers but I had to save Rose." I said,

"The Dragon Council and everyone in it would have frowned upon your decision." He said,

"Mrs Park didn't." I blurted out,

"Wow, back up!" Fuu dog said, looking at me for the first time since I'd entered, "She was ok with it?!" He asked in disbelief,

"Yeah, she said she was proud of my decision." I said and Fuu made a whistling noise,

"Guess that screws up your argument Gramps." Fuu said then a silence descended on the shop.

"She is a biased women." Gramps dismissed it,

"She is my mother Grampa." I sighed,

"Thus, not making you my grandchild." He growled and I shut up. Red hot anger coursing through my veins,

After an hour of silent work, I went home. The silence was uncomfortable and Grandpa had been cursing in Chinese softly for the last 10 minutes. I skated home and the further away I got from the shop the more of the cheeriness from earlier returned. When I got home I found a note saying I was staying with dad. So I quickly packed an overnight bag and ran out.

I walked through the front door to find Haley skipping towards me,

"Hey Jake!" She said with her usual level of enthusiasm,

"Hey Haley!" I replied and picked her up and gave her a hug. I not only surprised Haley but I surprised myself,

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?!" She snarled when I put her down,

"I killed him." I growled, "Just like I'm going to kill you!" I pounced at her and she shrieked. I spun around her at the last minute and walked down the corridor sandwiched between the stairs and a wall and laughed at my sister as I walked to the kitchen. Leaving the kid genius that was my little sister to fume silently.

I walked in and mom and dad were having one of their arguments… but not with each other.

"Now, Meester Long." A familiar voice sighed lazily,

"Get out of my house NOW!" Dad yelled, surpising me with his anger, "Or we will call the authorities."

"Then I think they will appreciate the pictures I have obtained on my camera." The voice said again.

My eyes widened, Rotwood?!

The argument became fast paced and insults and accusations flew and Dad and none other then Mr Rotwood (who smirked as he passed me) stomped down the hall and out of the house,

"Well done Jacob!" Mom (no Susan) said sarcastically, "Rotwood saw you in dragon form!"

"Couldn't you just trick him that it was an hallucination or something?" I asked, exasperated,

"He took. A PICTURE!" She yelled and shot forward, "How am I supposed to tell him that his son DIDN'T become a 7 foot fire breathing dragon when he has photographic evidence?!"

"I'm sorry mom." I said, my head bowed.

"I'm not your mother!" She stated and then left. Brushing past me.

"Mommy? What's wrong?" Haley asked, her age mirrored in her voice,

"Ask your brother!" She snarled at Halley and she stomped up the stairs. Haley walked into the living room with myself forllowing her numbly,

"What's happened Jake?" She asked, I turned and saw her with her arms crossed and an eyebrow was raised.

"Rotwood knows." I said.

"WHAT!" She screamed, I just walked past her and went to the front door

"Where are YOU going?!" Haley yelled,

"Out." Was my reply,

"Out where?" She asked,

"Haley, I'm a dragon. I'll improvise." I said and gave her a small comforting smile, "Listen sis. I'll be back. It's gonna be ok." I gave her a little hug and for the first time in years she hugged me back.

I walked out of the front door and 'Dragon'd up' on the front step and soared into the air. Millions of emotions running rampant through me as I flew above the New York skyline.

I flew over to a familiar building. A building with destroyed gargoyles on the roof. Last time I'd been here, big banners and streamers had been up. Celebrating Homecoming.

I picked up speed and left it behind. Tears streamed down my face. I HATED being a dragon. First I lose Rose, now Rotwood is going to spread my secret across the globe. Then my mother is not really my mother and the woman who raised me despises me. Why did I have to be a dragon?!

I landed on the roof of my apartment building and changed back to human. I sat on the roof with my legs dangling over the edge of the building. I saw the lights of the city through tear flooded eyes.

"Hello?" A shy voice came from behind me, "Who's there?"

"I'm there." I replied,

"Jake?" The voice came again,

"Rose?" I said and turned to see the girl of my dreams looking at me,

"What're you doing up here?" She asked,

"Just chilling. What're you doing up here?" I asked,

"I live here..."

Rose:-

Seeing Jake up here was the surprise of the century.

"You live here?" He asked,

"Well duh!" I said, "What, did you think I just appeared at school everyday?"

"Maybe..." He said and he chuckled, I rolled my eyes. "It's just I live here to."

I sat next to him and we just sat in silence,

"Um Jake. About kissing you..." I said, trailing off and blushing,

"Oh yeah..." He said, I was sure he was blushing but it was too dark to tell, "Er..."

"I'm sorry about that." I said,

"Why would you need to apologise?" He asked, looking me in the eyes.

"Well, I dunno. It's just... You know." I said, trailing off, "Weird."

"Yeah, I get it." He said, he looked back over the city,

"Did you, you know, like it?" I asked, scared of what he would say,

"Umm, can I not answer that?" He asked,

"Tell me!" I said, daring myself to hope,

"Yeah." He said, looking at his dangling feet,

"Really?!" I gasped,

"Duh!" He shouted, giving me one of those crafty grins.

My heart skipped a beat, I locked eyes with him and he gave me a warmer smile,

"Would you do it again?" I breathed, his brown eyes widened as I spoke,

"Without a second thought." He breathed, his eyes not leaving mine.

I slid closer and smiled, a shiver of expectancy ran through me. Our faces inched closer and I closed my eyes,

"Rose. What are you doi- OH!" Lily's voice came from behind me. Me and Jake opened our eyes. We were barely millimetres away from each other. We pulled back and turned to my sister. Who was standing in the door way of the stairwell that led to the roof.

"What are you doing Lily?" I asked extremely annoyed. Couldn't she have waited a minute?

"Sorry, I saw you come up and, well." She said, her fingers fiddling with a loose strand of her jet black hair.

I could see the sadness from where I was standing. I'd hurt her badly. I just knew it.

"I'd better go." Jake said, jumping to his feet,

"Me too." I said, I saw him looking slightly disappointed, "See you on Monday."

"Yeah. Bye." He said and he smiled, I walked to the stairwell. Lily had already gone downstairs. I had my back to Jake as I reached the stairs. A gust of wind hit my back and I turned to wave to Jake and he was gone. He'd simply vanished.

I walked down stairs and re entered the apartment to find Lily sat on the sofa, hugging her knee's to her chest.

"Hey." I said, to no reply, "Lily, I'm sorry."

"Go away Rose. You broke the rules." She said, "Sisters before misters."

She was right. I was in the wrong here. I had hurt my sister. BADLY.

"I'm sorry Lily." I said, ashamed with myself,

"No you aren't." She said, "You enjoyed EVERY minute of it."

She stomped out of the room and slammed the door of her room.

I walked into mine and fell back onto my bed. I totally suck. It was true. I loved every second of it.

I sighed, why was life so weird all of a sudden?

Jake:-

When I awoke the next morning, I KNEW something was different. I'd gotten back from my almost kiss with Rose merely minutes after it happened. I'd glided into my room through the open window, turned back to human and crashed in bed. Face down.

I awoke on my back and my legs were dangling off of the edge of my bed, as were my arms. That's weird. Also my top and t-shirt felt uncomfortably tight. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I yawned and stood up. I walked over to the door of my room and after opening it, I trudged down the bathroom. When I walked in I looked in the mirror and almost had a heart attack.

I was huge! I'd shot up in one night and I was twice the size I had been last night. My shirt was tight because I had also grown in the muscle department. My chest and arms looked like I'd been at the gym for years and trained for hour. I had toned muscles on my arms and a broad chest. I lifted my shirt slightly and saw a six pack. I dropped it and backed off from the apparition. In front of me. This was NOT possible. It couldn't have happened in one night. I needed answers.

I staggered back to my room and picked up my cell phone. I dialled Fuu dogs number and he picked up immediately,

"Sup kid?" He asked,

"Fuu, somethings happened!" I said,

"What?" He asked,

"Erm, I'm suddenly huge." I said,

"Oh. Don't worry kid. It's perfectly natural." He said, "Come down to the shop and me and the old man'll explain everything."

"Kay Fuu." I said and hung up.

20 minutes later I was down at the shop.

I walked in and Fuu and Gramps were sitting in front of the counter. Fuu made a whistling noise and he looked me up and down.

"Not bad kid." He said,

"Stop staring and start talking!" I exclaimed,

"Kay kid. Well you can safely say you've reached puberty." He said, winking,

"In a dragons puberty, a young dragon will shift." Gramps said calmly, "Their human form will change as will their dragon form."

"So basically kid. You're gonna look badass." Fuu said, I rolled my eyes,

"How am I supposed to explain this?!" I exclaimed,

"Growth spurt?" Fuu said, shrugging, "I dunno, think of something! In the meantime, put these on."

He gestured at a pile of clothes. I walked over and picked them up.

"We will inform your mother of what has happened so she can obtain some more clothes." Grandpa said, shuffling to the phone, his blue robes trailing behind him.

5 minutes later I was changed into a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt. On the t-shirt it had the words 'Be Afraid' wrote in red across the chest. I looked down at my old clothes which looked so small now they were off of me. I dumped all of them but my jacket in the dumpster and walked out of the room I was in into the main part of the shop.

"Nice taste Fuu." I said, walking in with my jacket slung over my shoulder,

"Thanks kid. Do you want me to whisk up a spell to make your jacket fit you?" He asked.

"Yes please man!" I said and he went over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of lime green potion out and gestured for the jacket. I handed it over and saw him douse my jacket in the liquid. I watched the jacket seem to absorb the liquid as if it were a sponge and grow. It flexed and became larger. Fuu handed it to me and I thanked the dog. It was a bit damp but it now was my size. I slipped it on, leaving it unzipped.

"So, what're you gonna say at school." Fuu asked,

"Growth spurt." I replied,

"Who gave you THAT idea?" He jested,

"I did of course!" I said and we laughed,

I'd tell Trixie and Spud the truth and it'd be easy with them. They wouldn't be a problem. The rest of the school WOULD be. Especially Rose.

I remembered the would have been kiss the night before. This was so badly timed. It might trigger her memories. I was worried. But hey, I have a whole weekend to figure it out...


	10. Chapter 10

Huntsgirl:

"I am VERY dissapointed Drake." I tutted like a mother finding her son taking sweets without permission.

"Well, excuse me! I wasn't given all the information." He snarled, his voice echoeing harshly around the abandonned subway station, that now housed the three remaining Huntsclan members AND an angry vampire.

"Do you want your memories or not?" I asked calmly, smirking at the terrified forms of 88 and 89 who held siver crosses out before their shivering forms.

"You disgust me!" Drake roared, baring his canine fangs at me and began advancing slowly, before I gestured my Huntstaff (with its brand new silver points) lazily in his direction, halting his movements, "Of course I do."

"Then do what your told, and our employer will reward you for your efforts." I said,

"Employer?"

"Honestly! Do you think I go around trying to kill random kids?!" I asked sarcastically,

"You never know." I heard 88 mutter.

"My employer has taken an interest in the boy. Your mission has changed by the way." I said, beginning to spin the staff in my hands.

"Let me guess." Drake sighed, rolling his eyes, "You want him alive?"

He barely got a nod as my reply...

Rose:

_"I REALLY have feelings for you!" I said, cursing myself for hurting him,_

_"Let me clean you up." I said sarcastically, pouring my glass on the jerk,_

_"Hiiyaa!" I roared_

_"This is our dream date!" I sighed, wrapping my arms around his waist in the basket of the hot air balloon._

_"Here's your proof!" I growled, casting the contents of a small coarse fabric sack at him,_

_"It's all so weird!" I said as we innocently walked through the snow covered park,_

_"Jake?!" I asked, my voice full of hope as the boy I loved stood before me._

_Training to be the ultimate warrior in a room full of older people._

_A masked man with huge hands snatching me from my mother as I wailed. My final battle cries in the background._

I woke up with a start and a funny feeling in my chest, with the sudden urge to cry deep into my pillow almost over powering. The feeling was like many things in my life, familiar but on a distant and untraceable way.

Rubbing my eyes I sat up in bed and reached to the bedside cabinet. Putting my glasses on and cursing as the digital alarm clocks numbers read 1:56 am.

There was no way I could get back to sleep! Especially with the nagging feeling that I should be doing something.

Then I flicked on the lamp and watched the light fall on my lime green schoolbag.

Seconds later the contents lay in a disjointed mess with my prize held in my hands. 'The Diary of Rose Smith'...

Could I read it? Yeah!

_They named me Rose Kildragonosa. It is my destiny, my heritage, my birthright. Since birth, I've wanted to be different. Special. So I was shocked when I found myself rebelling against my given name._

_So I changed it to Rose Smith._

The entry wasn't dated nor did it shed much light on the persons character. So I flicked through some pages to find something more worthy of my time.

This could be a long night...

Lily:

She wanted SOOO bad to be able to walk down the hall and claim Jake Long as her boyfriend. But fate seemed to deal the cards to anyone but her.

Since Fillmore, she had admired the goofy skater boy from afar. Marvelling at his cuteness, his hidden intellect and wisdom, his chivallry and all of the finer parts of his broad personality.

Then her sister came along.

She wasn't only Mom and Dad's favourite kid, but Jake seemed completely smitten with her. (Then and now.)

I was on the roof, where I caught the pair of them in their little world. I was angry, confused and honsetly hurt. But Rose would never know. I'd never let her.

Ending up back in the hall outside of out door. I was about to go inside when a commotion up the hall caught my attention.

I can't help being curious. Can I?

Jake:

"Not only is it 2 in the morning!" Sun roared at Susan, "But you threaten me and my son!"

"Mom please!" Jake begged, "Susan. Just go away! Everything was fine before"

Both women turned and stared at the boy, completely astonished,

"What?!" Jake asked,

"You've never called me mom!" Sun gasped,

"Oh! So she's your mom now?! Huh?!" Susan growled,

"You made it quite clear that you don't want to be!" I said in return,

"You selfish brat." Susan snarled

"You two faced swine!" I shot back, "Get out!"

"Oh! I'm two faced?! Dragon boy!" Susan roared at me and in my anger I shifted into a dragon.

I was big as a dragon normally. But this time was different.

My head was by my feet. My scaly ripped dragon muscles were bigger, broader and thicker than usual. I stood a good few feet taller and my senses were sharper and better than ever.

"My. God!" Susan gasped, staring up at the boy she raised. Who had become a huge fire breathing dragon. A creature much larger than I usually transformed into.

Reverting to his human form, I found that I seemed to have grown a few inch's and I was full of anger.

"Get! Out!" I growled and Susan scampered out. Leaving me and my mother alone.

Glaring after her, I turned and flung open the window.

"Jacob? Where are you going?" Sun asked,

"To end this." I growled and flung myself from the window. Transforming and speeding across the sky. A name running though my mind.

Rotwood…

The Employer:

I awaited him. The boy would find me eventually. I was hiding in plain sight.

Or maybe I was too obvious?

Or maybe he wasn't interested?

No. He simply wasn't looking for me. I needed to drop him some clues. Maybe threaten his family? His friends? His very livelyhood? I would think of something.

Then I would get my revenge on Jake Long… and that tretcherous Rose too.

Heinz:

My apartment was destroyed. The windows and furniture smashed. I cowered behind my desk, staring into the fiery red eyes of Jake Long.

"Where is it?!" He growled,

"W-what?" I whimpered. His dragon form hand burst in a few minutes ago and the beast had wasted no time in destroying everything.

"The camera! The photos! Don't make me destroy you Rotwood!" Jake growled, slamming his open palms on the wooden desk and making me jump.

"I-i- here we go." I gasped, fumbling through my drawers and flinging the camera at him. Watching him crush it in his hands.

"Where's you're cell phone?" Jake growled and I hastily placed it on the table. Then screeched as the red and yellow 10 foot dragon reappeared and belched a blue flame that scorched the phone, my computer and the desk they both lay upon, and left them in a horrific heap of ash, melted rubber, metal and shattered glass.

"Don't mess with us again Rotwood." The dragon that was my Mythology student growled before destroying MORE of the apartment as it flew away. Leaving me cold and alone.

Rushing to the landline roughly 10 minutes later (10 minutes of soiling myself in fear that he would return) I called The Employer.

"S-sir. He w-was here." I stuttered when my boss answered, "He destroyed the evidence."

"Take more pictures Heinz." The man said lazily from the other side of the phone, "Don't give him warning this time, don't be sloppy and greedy and do NOT fail me Heinz. Understand?"

I grunted a yes and he hung up.

Staring at the devastation in utter horror. I curled up into a ball and slipped into a quiet corner. Rocking myself to sleep. Fearing for my life.

Rose:

I treated it like a book of fiction. In a way, it made it so easy.

This girl claimed to have been trained to fight and kill mythical beasts. Training in particular to kill dragons in particular.

Then there were other things. Things that made her seem more and more like. Well… me!

The description of her sounded awfully like myself. This girl also wore blue contact lenses as her eyesight was poor. As was mine. She enjoyed the same books as me, same music, same favourite colours and, according to the last entry I had read, a similar life…

_I have decided. That I don't like contact lenses. But the disguise requires them._

_It was the first day of my station. I was stationed with none other than my mentor and hero the Huntsman. We were living the life of uncle and niece, the niece attending Fillmore Middle School._

_My original plan was to lay low. Get good grades, maybe join some unexceptional extra curriculum club. It was a plan worthy of my cover and mission. Simple, delicate, perfect…_

_Then I was hit with a skateboard._

I didn't know whether to read on. I had met Jake a year ago when HE hit ME with a skateboard. It was a big assumption to make. But only three kids skated to school then and now. It was a big assumption, so I warily stared at the page and read the next sentence and slammed the book shut. My heart and breath racing,

_His name was Jake Long._

Oh my!


	11. Chapter 11

Rose:-

I refused to read that dreaded book again. Flinging it back into the drawer it had come from and shut it away. Trying desperately to discard it as some fiction. Or a sick, sick prank Lily was pulling. That was it. Nothing more.

**(ON MONDAY)**

Monday couldn't have come any quicker. Lily hadn't spoke to me all weekend. Our friends were all busy. Stacy was out with Brad all weekend, Janet was out at ballet and Harley was studying, alone and I was fearful that, in my boredom, that the creepy book would find its way back into my hands.

I holed up in my room all weekend studying, listening to music and being alone. Mom and Dad knew me and Lily had, had a fight. But they didn't know when or why. They left us be as to not wind us up.

On Monday morning when we got to school there was a huge commotion.

"Have you seen him?" I heard someone say,

"Yeah, oh my gosh he's fine!" I heard someone reply. I was extremely confused but I didn't ask any questions.

I walked over to Harley who was sitting on the steps.

"Any idea what they're talking about?" I asked her, sitting next to her,

"Some guy." She replied.

"HERE THEY COME!" Someone screamed and a crowd formed at the bottom of the stairs. They stared down the street and I stood up, following their gaze.

Trixie and Spud were skating towards us closely followed by Jake. But Jake was different. He was taller and as he got closer he looked muscly. The trio saw the crowd, Trixie and Spud skidded to a halt but Jake weaved between the pair and skated at the crowd. They dispersed immediately and he kicked up his board, catching it and running up the stairs and into school. Not making eye contact with anyone as he ran in. Followed by Trixie and Spud, then by the crowd.

"Was that Jake?" Harley asked,

"Yeah." I breathed

"Wow." Harley gasped.

We got up and walked into school.

When we FINALLY got to homeroom the bell went and I saw Jake rush in. Followed by a gaggle of giggling girls. He sat at the back with Trixie and Spud again and he was barely holding off the girls.

Miss Park cleared her throat and they reluctantly went back to their places.

I sat next to Brad again and I couldn't help but stare at Jake, he was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt with the words 'Be Afraid' trailing across his chest in red writing. His hair was spiked as usual but the green tips weren't as prominent anymore. He seemed to be anxious and I didn't have a clue why. He caught me staring and smiled and waved. I smiled and waved back. Brad wasn't pleased and he grumbled something illegible.

The bell went and we had Science. It went without event. I sat with Harley and I, like many others in the class, only had eyes for Jake.

The thing that happened today that was shocking was at breaktime. We were in the corridor and I was walking out of Science. Jake had already gone to his locker and Brad and two of his friends decided amongst themselves that they didn't like Jake.

"Hey Long!" Brad yelled, Jake turned and was punched in the face.

He fell back into his locker and he could barely keep his footing.

"Think you can steal away the girls and get away with it?" He snarled again and hit Jake in the stomach. Jake folded into the blow and dry heaved,

"I haven't stolen anything Brad." He coughed.

"Sure!" He sneered, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hit you again!"

Jake straightened up. He stood up and stepped forward. Brad backed off,

"Hitting me again would be bad." Jake growled.

"Sure it would!" Brad laughed,

"For you." Jake snarled.

The whole crowd that had formed a circle around the three boys held their breaths. Jake was standing calmly, Brad stood with his fists clenched and he was quivering with anger and his two brunette friends just stood like spectators. Waiting for Brad to tell them what to do and for Brad to make a move. He didn't disappoint...

He threw a punch and Jake just spun around it and ended up behind Brad. Brad made a wide back hand but Jake just leant back and it passed over his head. Brad punched at Jake but Jake caught his hand and, with a spin, pinned it behind Brads back.

"Don't just stand there!" Brad screamed.

The first of Brads lackeys ran at him and aimed a wild punch at Jakes face. Jake manoeuvred Brads head so Brad took the punch in the face. The brunette gasped and looked flustered and Brad seemed to have been knocked out. Jake shoved the lifeless jock at his friend and he launched at the brunette. His hand upper cutting and hitting the boy under the chin. His head shot back and he slipped over from the punch and Brads extra weight and his head hit the floor with a crack.

Jake and the final brunette regarded each other and the second brunette threw up his hands in surrender. Jake nodded at him and returned to his locker. Grabbing the book for his next lesson and slamming it shut he walked away. Weaving through the crowd leaving the jocks far behind.

Jake:-

I can't believe it. I beat up Brad! I took on and defeated Brad! No way!

I put as much distance as possible between the two creamed jocks lying in a pile and I headed to my next class. Home Ec. Miss Park. Goodie.

I walked into class and sat at a table in the far corner. I felt terrible, I wondered if the pair of them were okay. What if they needed medical attention?!

The bell went and Miss Park walked in. She wore her usual yellow silk with pink embroidery on the hems and sky blue skirt. She looked over and saw me,

"I must say Jake. When Fuu told me about the changes I thought he was exaggerating."

"Um, Thanks. I think." I muttered. She had been absent from the apartment for the past week with no explanation. Some Mom.

The class filed in and the first person in was Brad and his goons. They looked at me fearfully and sat at a desk by Miss Park's. Trixie and Spud rushed over after that,

"Jakey! Am I hearing that you creamed two guys all alone?!" Trixie exclaimed,

"Probably." I sighed,

"Radical." Spud said and myself and Trix stared at him he hushed and sat at the desk. The desk seated six, who would the other 3 be sitting with us.

As if on que, Rose, her sister and one of their friends with long ginger hair walked in. Rose was in a white blouse with a blue frilly skirt. Only half the class was here and there were plenty of other desks, but she scanned the room and when she saw me she made a beeline for me.

"Are you ok?!" She gasped as she got over to us.

"I'm fine really." I said,

"Well the cut on your forehead is saying something else." Her sister said. Was her name Lily? Yeah. Well she wore a red t-shirt with a black skirt. She had black hair as oppose to Rose's golden hair. And her eyes were like sparkly emeralds, as oppose to Rose's twin sapphire eyes.

Rose pulled out a tissue and dabbed at my head and I immediately felt a sharp tongue of pain in my forehead. I recoiled from the tissue,

"Come on Jake. Let me help you." She said, "It'll be ok. I promise. It'll be okay."

She gave me a comforting look but I was rooted to the spot. Those were the last words Rose spoke to me before my wish. I bit back tears and suppressed the pain of losing her. I nodded and she dabbed my head again. Gently caressing the area of pain. Eventually she pulled it away. Coated in my blood. I took it from her had screwed it up and through it across the classroom. It spiralled in the air and landed in the bin. Lily and the other girl stared, their eyes unbelievably wide.

"Thanks Rose." I sighed and she put her arms around me and we hugged.

"Anytime Jake." She said. I smiled as I hugged her. I may have lost the old Rose. But this was better than nothing.

Rose:-

I gave Jake a hug after I'd finished clearing up his cut, then, when he pulled away, I saw that I was getting dirty looks from most of the girls in the class. I didn't care about them, I cared about the look of loathing that came from my own sister. I sat next to Jake and tried to ignore her as she and Harley sat next to Trixie on the other side of the table. I began to notice details of the room in my plight to stop myself from looking at my sister.

The room had 6 tables seating 6 in the room. There were 6 sinks all across the far wall marked with laminated cards with numbers on them.

Lily cleared her throat and I instinctively turned to her. She quickly showed me her cellphone before whisking it under the table. A text came through and I slipped my phone out of my pocket

*wow. Way 2 rub it in!* Lily sent,

*i'm not sis.* I replied,

*oh yeah. Then wtf was that?!* she replied,

*he was sad. I gave him a hug. No biggie.* I sent,

*you're the worst sis ever.* she sent,

*why don't you open your eyes. He's not interested in you. Deal with it.*

I slipped my phone into my pocket and got on with the lesson. Avoiding the hate filled glares from my sister. We were making stir fry and Jake next to me was doing pretty well. The knife a blur as he cut up brocolli and other vegetables. As I looked around the table and saw all eyes on Jake's intense knife work. The prep was meant to take 30 minutes. Jake was done in half the time and was on the hob frying meat, boiling noodles and preparing the veggies for frying.

Trixie, Harley and Spud were done 10 minutes later and were on the hob as Jake was plating up. He came back to the table with his finished dish.

"Wow." He sighed,

"What?" I asked,

"Normally I'm lame." He said with a laugh. I laughed as well.

I had everything ready and was frying when it happened. Someone barged past and knocked me into the hob. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I was knocked into my pot of boiling water and it shot up, the boiling water came at me. I had hit the hob and was winded; I wouldn't be able to move in time. Then a hand was on my shoulder and I was yanked out of the way. The water splattered harmlessly onto the floor.

I turned and saw Jake there,

"Are you ok?" He asked, his voice flooded with concern.

"Yeah, I'm great. Thank you. You saved me. Again!" I said and I kissed his cheek. He smiled and we hugged.

"Come on." He said, pulling away, "You've got a dish to complete."

Then, for the rest of the lesson, we worked as a solid team to complete my dish. It was done in half the time it would have took if I'd have done it alone. I was washing dishes in the sink and Mrs Park was examining everyone's work when Jake walked off. I looked over and he was up with Miss Park, talking in hushed voices. I was curious as to the nature of their conversation but I couldn't hear a thing. So I turned back to the dishes and pondered silently.

I didn't hear him approach and I was washing a plate at that time,

"Don't scream." Jake whispered in my ear and I had to suppress the scream of shock. I dropped the plate and it clattered dully on the bottom of the sink.

"REAL clever Jake!" I hissed as he snickered silently behind me. Then his arms encircled me from behind and I nearly melted,

"My deepest apologies. Here, let me help." He said and he picked up the plate and scrubbed it clean with a sponge and plopped it on the draining board,

"That's the last of them." I said triumphantly, I sighed and leaned back slightly, so my head was rested on his now broad chest, "Seriously how did you get so big?!" I said, looking back at him, he was now slightly taller than I was and it was strange how he'd shot up in just 1 weekend,

"Growth spurt." He said absently, whilst fiddling with the remaining bubbles left in the lukewarm dish water. I looked up at him and noticed a mischievous glint shoot through his eyes. He grabbed a handful of the bubbles and thrust them at my face. I ducked and slipped out from under his arms and backed off. He advanced with the soap bubbles in hand,

"Don't. Even." I warned him as he advanced with a ridiculous lopsided grin plastered on his face. He lunged and got me with bubbles on my nose and chin. He laughed wildly and in his hysterical outburst I scooped up some bubbles form the sink and shoved them in his face.

It soon became a war between the pair of us and many had stopped what they were doing and stared at us in ridicule. I didn't care. I was having too much fun.

"YOU TWO!" Mrs Park shouted and we stopped, bubbles in hand and we looked over at Mrs Park who stood at our table looking amused and annoyed all at once.

She stalked over and before we could react, scooped bubbles into both of her hands and shoed them into both of our faces, cracking a grin as she did it, "Now clean up this mess please." She said calmly and walked away, the class laughing and cheering. Just like us.

We cleared up minutes before the bell went and when we left I walked alongside Harley and Jake walked with Trixie and Spud, who were prying him for details about his fight with Brad earlier, whereas I walked in an uncomfortable silence with Harley,

"Where's Lily?" I asked my friend, who was twirling a lock of her fiery ginger hair in her long delicate fingers,

"Umm, what happened between you and Lily during the lesson?" she asked, avoiding eye contact,

"Well, we had a fight over the phone." I said, "Why."

"Well…" Harley said, after a pause, "She was pretty ticked off and she kinda shoved you when you were cooking."

I thought back and then I remembered, I was shoved and I nearly had a pot of boiling water poured on me,

"Oh my gosh! I almost died!" I gasped, realising that I'd had two scrapes with death recently.

"Yeah, but you're missing the BIG picture." Harley hissed, I looked at her questioningly, unsure of what she was on about.

She dragged me over to the side so that others could pass. She grabbed my shoulders and shook them, her eyes boring into mine,

"Rose!" she said, her voice no louder than a whisper, "Lily, nearly, KILLED, you!"


End file.
